Twin Cities Kids Sales

Who are you? Tell us about yourself, the sale organizer(s).

I am mom of 2 young boys, Hunter (8) and Cooper (4) andwife to Jason.  When I am not busy chasing them around or planning the sale, I enjoy reading, movies and spending time with friends.  I enjoy traveling,too, but haven’t done that quite as much as I used to since becoming a mom.

Tell us about your very first consignment sale you attended/participated/shopped.  

The first consignment sale I went to was the Just BetweenFriends sale in Maple Grove.  I shopped their first sale and consigned at their second sale.  While shopping at the Presale as a consignor, it hit me that I wanted to coordinate and run a sale of my own.

How long have you been organizing sales? When was your first sale? 

This coming sale will be my 7th sale. My first sale was in May of 2008, so I have been organizing sales for just over 3 years.

Whose idea was it to start the sale, and why?

I decided I wanted to be a part of running a Just Between Friends sale after I saw how many people were so enthusiastic at the JBF sale in Maple Grove.  After talking with Kris and Katy, the ownersof that sale, I talked with my husband and my mom and they were both supportive of my decision to purchase a franchise.

Tell us about your growth. How does your first sale compareto your last sale in regards to participants, location, your own organization.  

Each and everysale is definitely a learning and growth experience!  Our sale has shown consistent growth from year to year, but not necessarily from sale to sale.  We have been fortunate enough to have many returning consignors as well as new consignors each sale.  I try to notice things that I can improve and make small changes at each sale to enhance the experiences for my consignors, volunteers and shoppers.

What’s your favorite part about running the sale?

Definitely seeing returning consignors, volunteers and shoppers!  I love watching my “regulars” score great bargains and earn big checks! I LOVE hearing someone exclaim, “This is exactly what I came here looking for!”

What’s your least favorite part about running the sale? 

The fact that most people think that running a sale means that I only work 1 week in the Spring and 1 week in the Fall.  Each sale takes months of preparation and I am constantly thinking about and working on the sale.

Any anecdotes you would like to share? 

I love how JBF has become averb with our kids – when we are cleaning out closets and bins, both of my kids use the expression, “JBF it!” when they decide to let go of something.  It is so cute!

Next sale information: When, where, details:

Thursday, June 2 - 10am-7pm ($2 admission)

Friday, June 3 – 10am-7pm (no admissionfee)

Saturday, June 4 – 9am-1pm Half Price Sale(all items without a star on the tag will be ½ off.)

Hopkins Pavilion – 11000 Excelsior Blvd.,Hopkins, MN 55343

We accept cash, visa, mastercard, discoverand debit cards. Our designated charities are The Arc ofGreater Twin Cities and Tapestry Pregnancy and Family Resource Center.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself, the sale organizer(s).

Sarah Marotz and Rachel Johnson – 2 sisters with 3 boys and2 more kids on the way. We had a LOT of stuff. Now we’re planning onshopping our own sale!

Tell us about your very first consignment sale youattended/participated/shopped.

Sarah’s first consignment sale was a mother’s of multiplessale approximately 9-10 years ago when she was pregnant or her oldest was ababy. She remembers that it was very confusing.

Rachel’s first sale was about 6 years ago in Iowa. Sheremembers that the amount of stuff was very overwhelming at first but wasamazed at the concept.

How long have you been organizing sales? When was your firstsale?

First sale was May 2010, so we’re working on our third sale.

Whose idea was it to start the sale, and why?

It was Sarah’s idea and she wanted to organize a sale foryears but didn’t have anyone else to co-coordinate. Finally, last spring Rachelagreed to help and said “Let’s do it!”

Tell us about your growth. How does your first sale compareto your last sale in regards to participants, location, your own organization.

We continue to attract new consignors with each sale andhave had a positive response form the surrounding community.

What’s your favorite part about running the sale?

Helping customers find what they need and more! Watchingcustomers get a big bag of clothes and toys and how happy they are at howlittle they’ve spent!

What’s your least favorite part about running the sale?

Worrying about getting enough consignors and advertising andwanting our consignors to make a lot of money and spread the word and return.Also, customers that try to haggle prices like they would at a garage sale.

Any anecdotes you would like to share?

Our sale supports kids programs at our church. Most peoplehad not been to a consignment sale before and didn’t understand that amount ofwork or benefits for the sale, so we had a lot of skeptical people. Afterseeing the 1st spring sale, the whole church was really supportiveand excited about our fall sale.

Next sale information: When, where, details:

May 5, 6pm-8pm for consignors, volunteers and expectingparents

May 6, 10am-7pm

May 7, 8am-4pm (1/2 off most items)

At Christ the King Lutheran Church

8600 Fremont Avenue

Bloomington, MN

www.ctkb.org/sale

Who are you? Tell us about yourself, the sale organizer(s). 

Henriette Roe, SAHM and former travel agent. Organizing and planning has always been one of my passions, so the idea to organize a sale gets me exited every time. My husband Dean also helps at the sale, or watches our 3 kids while I’m off at the sale.

Tell us about your very first consignment sale you attended/participated/shopped.

The first time I experienced a consignment sale was theMinnesota Valley Moms of Multiples Sale in Eagan. I loved the energy the sale created and was impressed by the organization and coordination of such a big event.

How long have you been organizing sales? When was your first sale? 

From Yours To Mine, LLCwas founded in January of 2007, and we had our first sale at the Apple Valley Community Center in April of that year. We also hosted a special Kids Holiday Sale in Burnsville Thanksgiving of 2010. So we are coming up on our 10th sale event.

Whose idea was it to start the sale, and why?

After 3 years as a stay-at-home mom the need to plan and organize something, anything, was getting the best of me. And after another mom told me about kids consignment sales, which are very popular in the southern States, I thought it would be a great way to utilize my planning and organizational skills while still being a stay-at-home mom to 3.

Tell us about your growth. How does your first sale compare to your last sale in regards to participants, location, your own organization.

We had our first sale at the Apple Valley Community Center and had to rent two separate rooms. We found out right away that they would not be big enough for a second sale with 56 participating consignors we were bursting at the seams immediately.

We moved to the Dakota County Fairgrounds into a 9000 sq. ft. building for our second sale in the fall of 2007. The Fairgrounds and the building served us well for the next 3 sales, until we found that 9000 sq. ft. were starting to be too small, too.

We have been at the Hockey Arena in Lakeville since Spring of 2009 and hope that 17000 sq. ft of space will serve us for a long time. We love the facility. Drop off for our consignors is convenient with the drive up door in the back, there is plenty of parking for our shoppers out front, and the lobby is big and spacious for our vendors. With over 200 consignors and thousands of shoppers we feel that we are in a great place.

What’s your favorite part about running the sale?

Definitely meeting all our wonderful volunteers. It is great to see volunteers and consignors invested in our sale, and I have made many new good friends through it.

What’s your least favorite part about running the sale?

Tear down. By that time I’m just so very tired, I just want to be done.

Any anecdotes you would like to share?

We once had a consignor almost buy her own item. She just fell in love with this outfit she found and was showing it to me until she looked at the tag more closely and realized it was her own. She took it back home, not ready to part with it yet.

Next sale information: When, where, details:

Friday, April 15 from10a-7p $1 admission, free with the donation of a non-perishable food item

Saturday, April 16from 10a-5p, no admission and many items 50% off

Hasse Hockey Arena, at the Hasse Hockey Arena - Lakeville, MN

8525 - 215th Street W (County Road 70)

www.FromYoursToMine.com

Who are you? Tell us about yourself, the sale organizer(s).

Kris Bishop & Katy Saunders, We are sisters and alsobusiness partners.   We are the owners ofJust Between Friends Maple Grove, Eagan and Elk River.

Tell us about your very first consignment sale youattended/participated/shopped.

Our very first consignment sale was in Broken Arrow, OKwhere we were volunteers.

How long have you been organizing sales? When was your first sale?

We have both been thrifty shoppers for our families, butdecided to start our business in 2006. We brought  Just Between Friendsto Minnesota and opened the first franchise in Maple Grove in Fall 2006.  We opened Eagan in Spring 2007 and Elk Riverin Spring 2010.

Whose idea was it to start the sale, and why?

Kris had the idea first after hearing from a relative whowas doing a children’s sale in California. We thought that the Twin Cities would love this concept and decided tostart our business.

Tell us about your growth. How does your first sale compareto your last sale in regards to participants, location, your own organization.

Maple Grove is a top achiever sale in the country and Eaganwill join that elite group this year.  Eaganwas voted Twin Cities Best Consignment Sale by Consignmentmommies.com in2010.  Our first sale was fun and busyand took our entire family to pull off. It has been very exciting to see the growth as women across the TwinCities embrace the concept of recycling and reusing children’s items.  Our sale has grown in venue size, consignorsand shoppers as friends tell others about Just Between Friends.   

What’s your favorite part about running the sale?

Both Kris and Katy’s favorite part is seeing the excited momswho find a great bargain at our event.  Hearingthe stories of how our sale has blessed another family makes us really happy.

What’s your least favorite part about running the sale?

Email overload during the sale.

Any anecdotes you would like to share?

Building a great sale takes time and persistence. 

Next sale information: When, where, details:

Just Between Friends Eagan

 Eagan CommunityCenter

 March 31st– April 2nd, 10am-7pm.

I promised you more info about your favorite sales, and here it is. Periodically we will feature a sale on this blog with information and little interesting tidbits, and here is our first feature:

The Minnesota Valley Moms of Multiples Sale in Eagan, probably the longest running sale in the Twin Cities.

TCKS: Who are you? Tell us about yourself, the sale organizer(s).

We’re a group of over 500 mothers ofmultiple birth children who live in the Twin Cities area.

TCKS: Tell us about your very first consignment sale youattended/participated/shopped.

The first consignmentsale I attended was the MVMOM UC&E Sale. I was impressed, and a little overwhelmed!  It’s like 10 “Once Upon a Child” stores.

TCKS: How long have you been organizing sales? When was your first sale?

Our club has beentogether since 1975 and having sales ever since the first year.

TCKS: Whose idea was it to start the sale, and why?

In 1975, the veryfirst MVMOM board recognized that as mothers of multiples, we have multiples of everything you need for raising children, and created an organized way to pass those on to other moms.

TCKS: Tell us about your growth. How does your first sale compareto your last sale in regards to participants, location, your own organization.

The first sale in1975 grossed $239.  Our twice-yearlysales now gross around $40,000, have well over 100 sellers and between 400-800shoppers.

TCKS: What’s your favorite part about running the sale?

There are around 40 volunteers who help make the MVMOM Used Clothing & Equipment sale be a success every spring and fall, and it’s a very fun weekend.  We have a wonderful time together, we find great deals , and we donate most of what doesn’t sell.  It’s an event that benefits us and the community and our club is full of devoted sale sellers, shoppers, and volunteers.

TCKS: What’s your least favorite part about running the sale?

The soreness of myfeet at the end of the weekend!

TCKS: Any anecdotes you would like to share?

One member accidentally priced a size 3T polo at $300.  She meant to price it at $3.  It was in great shape and she was baffled as to why no one bought it until she saw the price tag!

TCKS: Next sale information: When, where, details:

Saturday, March 26,2011

11AM to 2PM

Eagan CommunityCenter

Everyone is making New Years Resolutions, so I figured I'd fit right in. Our New Years Resolution is to bring you more info, more details, and more tips and tricks to make this your most successful Kids Consignment Sale Year ever! Are you with me?! Awesome! Stay tuned for featured sales and little tidbids about your favorite bargain paradise.