The ninth annual Clothes Mentor conference was a success! Franchisees and store managers from all across the nation gathered in Minneapolis last week to network, learn about new programs and initiatives for the brand and, of course, have a lot of fun! Check out the following snapshots from the opening session, which included fashion shows featuring Clothes Mentor’s plus-size and millennial customers, the welcome reception at SkyDeck in the Mall of America and the closing event at Aria in Minneapolis.
Moms Trade In and Trade Up at Children’s Orchard Cleveland, TN
Moms can make money and save money by trading in and trading up their children’s clothing, shoes, equipment and more at Children’s Orchard Cleveland, TN. Check out the excerpt from an article below to find out more. You can also read the full article at timesfreepress.com.
Bring something, take home something—the art of swapping
By Lynda Edwards
Excerpt:

Make room for baby
But Bettieville isn’t the only local shop that trades in gently worn clothes — some focus on baby clothes and items.
Up in Cleveland, Tenn., on Paul Huff Parkway, Children’s Orchard owner Dan Black has offered customers, often women, a similar chance to save money and score a fashionable find. He buys baby clothing and accessories such as motorized rocking cradles, strollers and toys. The sellers can choose cash or a store credit.
“We offer 25 percent more in credit than we would in cash, and moms can find cute outfits in style because we ask that the clothing be no more than five years old,” says Black, who has run the store — part of a nationwide chain with another location in Murfreesboro — for 12 years and can tell how old a baby outfit is simply by its color palette.
Black does not sell vintage clothes, so you won’t find clothes to create a grunge-rock baby in red-and-black plaid and Doc Marten boots or a Greed Decade baby in a neon onesie with 1980s shoulder pads
“I have three children of my own plus grandbabies, so I have seen infant clothes through several decades,” he says, chuckling. “In the 1990s there were parachute pants that the rapper MC Hammer wore and made popular with kids for awhile.”
He and his wife opened the store with her mother and father and, since the older couple retired, now run it themselves. As scary as the 2007 recession was, Black was pleasantly surprised that 2008 was one of Children’s Orchard’s best sales years.
“We do sell some new items like baby bottles, but customers can save so much on clothes and also strollers and cradles and bouncing chairs that are in excellent condition after another mother has used them,” Black explains.
“We have about 200 regulars who have sold us clothing more than once. As their baby grows older and too big for one size, they sell it and swap it for another larger size in the store or just buy it here.”
While Black’s tiny clients hurtle forward into the future, back in Bettieville, dancer Dorothy Demure has found a time tunnel into the past via a pair of 1970s sky-high heels. She is too young to remember the decade, so she is puzzled by the clear plastic chamber beneath the shoes’ large rounded toe. Another customer, who lived through the 1970s, explains that the shoes were known as Disco Goldfish Heels and each chamber was filled with water so tiny, live goldfish could swim in them.
Jodie Simon is older than Demure but fit and trim. She gravitates toward a sheath dress whose narrow bands of crimson and magenta give it a luxurious couture sheen; it would have looked great in Studio 54 in the late ’70s and early ’80s. But she tosses it to a friend.
“I’m just not sure my personality is bold enough for those colors — yet,” Simon says. “The good thing is, there will be another swap next month and another chance to get something great.”
Own Your Own Business with NTY Franchise Company: You Can Do It!
Watch this video message from Chad Olson, NTY Franchise Company’s Chief Operations Officer, and be inspired to open your own resale business! Find out what makes NTY’s five resale brands unique as well as get a feel for our company values. Check it out now:
Watch and Learn How Clothes Mentor Differs from Consignment
See how much money a local TV host gets for her gently used items at Clothes Mentor Portage. Also, hear from a loyal customer about how Clothes Mentor differs from consignment. Watch the video now:
DEVICE PITSTOP: Eden Prairie Store Grand Opening This Week
The latest Device Pitstop is opening its doors in Eden Prairie, MN, this week. Check out an article featuring the new store in a local newspaper below. Or read it online at swnewsmedia.com.

Device Pitstop, a national chain that buys, sells, trades, services and upgrades computers and mobile devices at low cost, recently opened in Eden Prairie, according to a news release.
The store is hosting a grand opening on May 5 at its location at 8252 Commonwealth Drive. The activities include $25 gift card giveaways and drawings for tablets, computers and other items. The business is owned by Chanhassen resident Jeff Kiffin.
“Device Pitstop carries a wealth of laptops, desktops, tablets, smartphones and accessories including Windows, Apple, Mac, iPhone and Android devices and parts. They sell certified products well below original prices, backed by 30-day and extended warranties,” according to a news release.
“They buy customer equipment for cash or trade in. They also provide expert on-site repairs and upgrades. Whatever the need, Device Pitstop has a complementary product or service.”
For more information call 952-446-7168 or visit devicepitstop.com/edenprairie.
CLOTHES MENTOR: Customer Shares Her Resale Experience
Read this article to see one customer’s experience with selling items to her local store. You can also see the original article with more photos at springbargains.com.
I’ve never sold or consigned clothing before, but with trying to make sure that I’m only wearing clothes I love combined with the unfortunate event of gaining weight in the past year, I had some newer clothing that doesn’t fit well and I thought I’d try consigning it. (OK, not really consigning, where you don’t get paid until the store sells it, but taking it to a place where they give you cash for it up front. But I always think of it as consigning because I always think of these stores as consignment stores!)
I chose to consign at Clothes Mentor, because it seems like a lot of the other stores in town (Plato’s Closet, Seven Status, Hut no. 8) cater towards a younger crowd and my clothing is likely not hip enough! I’d been into Clothes Mentor once, and thought that the clothing I wanted to sell was on par with what they sold.
So, I took a small box of clothing in to see how it worked and if I’d actually get anything for it. They paid me about $2.50 per item the first time, and then after realizing I really wasn’t going to fit in a few things in the near future, I sold clothing a second time and got closer to $3.00 per item. Here’s what I learned.
#1 – They are serious about the two-years-old-or-newer rule.
They really won’t take anything that’s older than about two years, even if it’s still theoretically in style (according to my finely-tuned sense of fashion – ha!). I had a couple of dresses from Banana Republic that were really cute, but several years old, and they passed on them and everything else that was older than two years.
I did figure out that you can look at the tag on your clothing to see when it was manufactured, so you have an idea of how old it is. The tag on side of the garment on most name-brand clothing has a date on it, like this:
I haven’t found that off-brand clothing has the date on the tag, but they also will not take anything that’s not a name brand, so for purposes of selling clothing, it doesn’t really matter. I personally wouldn’t even bother taking in something that’s not a name brand, no matter how cute it is, because in my experience they really aren’t going to buy it.
(By the way, if you are going off the date on the tag, I think that they have a little leeway with it, because clearly stuff that was manufactured in July for a fall line of clothing would be in stores for awhile, so I would guess that it’s probably 2.5 years after the tag date.)
Frankly, I was a little surprised at a few of the items that they rejected, because I knew I’d seen stuff in the store that was older-looking than what I’d brought in, but they clearly know how to run the shop, not me, so I wasn’t upset or offended that they didn’t take some of my items. 🙂
#2 – You need to bring in clothing without any damage.
They don’t seem to like items that have any sort of damage, even a minor thing like a pulled string that could be easily be cut off and be as good as new. So, I would definitely check your garments over well, and clip any loose threads. (I also think that it doesn’t hurt to bring in clothing that’s folded neatly and not horribly wrinkled.)
#3 – They won’t take turtlenecks.
This one surprised be, but I learned the second time I sold items that they won’t take anything with “high necks” (in my case, it was a turtleneck). I asked why and they said they just don’t sell well.
#4 – Expect to get an average of about $3 per item.
When they pay you for the items, they give you a receipt that shows what they purchased from you, but it doesn’t say how much they paid for each item. In my case, the first time I sold items, they bought a pair of shoes, some tops, and I think a scarf; and I got an average of about $2.50 per item.
The second time, I had a couple of pairs of pants and some tops and got just under $3.00 per item. I’m totally speculating here, but I think they probably paid more for the pants and less for the tops, because some of the tops were just t-shirts.
I’m sure if you brought in some really nice dress apparel, you’d probably get more per item, but I wouldn’t expect to get too much more.
One other thing that I will mention is that you drop off your clothing and then have to come back to pick it up and decide if you want to accept the offer that they give you for the clothing that they do want to sell. The first time I did it, they were really busy with drop-offs and mine wasn’t done until several hours later. (You have to pick up the items they didn’t want in 72 hours.)
The second time, they told me they’d have it ready in about 15 minutes – I chose to go run another errand instead of sticking around, but just keep in mind that it could be a really fast process or it might be a few hours, depending on how busy they are.
Overall, I’d say that consigning/selling at Clothes Mentor was a great experience. Since they pay you on the spot, it’s a great way to get extra cash quickly even if you won’t get rich doing it. 🙂 I would totally do it again – hopefully next time because I’ve lost a little weight and can sell items as I’m sizing down! 🙂
Have you sold or consigned clothing?
I’m far from an expert! Please share your tips for consigning or selling adult or children’s clothing!
DEVICE PITSTOP: New Store Opens in Alaska

One of our newest franchisees, Scott Stansbury, was recently featured in Alaska Business Monthly. Read the article about the opening of his Device Pitstop store in Anchorage, Alaska, below.
Device Pitstop, a national chain that buys, sells, trades, services and upgrades computers and mobile devices at low cost, is opening in Anchorage. It’s a brand-new concept here — a one-stop solution to personal technology needs.
Device Pitstop carries a wealth of computers, tablets, smartphones and accessories including Windows, Apple, Mac and Android devices and parts. They sell certified products well below original prices, backed by a 90-day warranty. They buy customer equipment for cash or trade in. The store also provides expert on-site repairs and upgrades. Strategically, they offer a knowledgeable, transparent and value-oriented environment.
Device Pitstop opened March 17th at 701 W. 36th Avenue between Seward Highway and Minnesota Drive. Call 907-644-0405 or check www.devicepitstop.com/anchorage-midtown/.
According to store owner Scott Stansbury, Device Pitstop sells quality used computers from $99 and factory-refurbished units from $250. There are all major PC and Apple brands with a range of modern operating systems. Device Pitstop also sells popular tablets and smartphones. All are backed by 90-day hardware warranties and available extended-service plans. All previously-owned devices are wiped-clean of personal information, given a fresh new operating system, and rigorously tested to deliver top-line working equipment at great prices.
Device Pitstop buys used products and helps customers convert their working and non-working devices into cash. Technicians quickly inspect devices, offer a price quote and pay on the spot. They also offer trade-in for another product at great prices – and can transfer all music, pictures, and documents at a nominal cost.
All device repairs and upgrades are performed in-house by expert technicians and usually same day. Unlike big-box stores, computers are not sent to the Lower 48 or need weeks for repair. And owner Scott Stansbury stresses transparency, explaining diagnoses, showing parts and inviting customers to watch repairs.
Device Pitstop technicians are certified, have all modern tools and parts available, and can even repair older computers. Upgrades include additional RAM, hard-drive installation, anti-virus/anti-spyware software installation, operating system upgrades and more. Tablet and smartphone repairs can include replacement of broken LCD, glass screens and batteries.
Accessories include laptop batteries, AC adapters, iPhone adapter cables, iPad accessories, smartphone cases, headphones and speakers.
Importantly, Device Pitstop has a green philosophy tied to recycling used equipment, not sending them to the landfill. They bring non-working computers back to life or utilize good components in other repairs. They safely dispose of other items by recycling in an environmentally-responsible manner that follows stringent state requirements.
According to store owner Scott Stansbury, Device Pitstop – Anchorage is a friendly neighborhood center for affordable computers, tablets, smartphones, accessories, repairs and upgrades. He’s seen strong public enthusiasm, great word of mouth and more than 400 Facebook page likes, even before the store opened. With his W. 36th Avenue location now open and a second store planned next year, Stansbury expects to be a major personal technology resource here.
Click here to see the article on the Alaska Business Monthly website.
NTY Highlighted in Franchising World Magazine
The following excerpt was taken from the article “Creative Narrative, Original Messaging Offer Powerful Marketing for Unique Franchises” in the January 2016 issue of Franchising World:
NTY Franchise Company is the parent company of five unique re-sale based brands that focus on women’s designer fashion, children’s apparel and accessories, furniture/household goods, electronic sales and repair, and clothing for teens and young adults. Its franchise model is designed to sell gently used goods at 70 percent off the new retail price. NTY Franchise brands are attractive, as they save customers money and pay sellers cash on the spot for items they are no longer using.