Friday, Aug 27–Kids Consignment Sale Set For Sept. 10-11

T.K. Dickerson

Staff Writer

BERLIN – When Vicki
Burns’ son kept outgrowing his clothes at a rapid pace, she knew that she
needed to find a solution. After turning to the Internet for an answer, she
soon came up with Coastal Kids Consignment Sale.

Coastal Kids Consignment
Sale operates similar to a consignment store by taking gently used clothing and
other high-quality items and reselling it. However, Burns’ operation acts as
events – having two main events every year, one in the spring and one in the
fall. The clothing is seasonal, allowing shoppers to do all of their shopping
for one season at one main event. Fall events for this year are taking place at
the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center on Sept. 10 and 11. There will also be
another event in Pocomoke later in September.

The public sales take
place on Fridays and Saturdays and are open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.. Friday
typically holds the best selection, but many of the leftover items go on sale
for 50-percent off on Saturday.

Burns describes the
items in her consignment sales as “high quality, gently used items”. She and
her staff inspect every item of clothing and every product to ensure that it is
not torn, ripped or stained.

Coastal Kids Consignment
Sale gives the sellers, or the consigners, the power to tag and price their own
items. After registering online, the sellers price their own items online. They
then drop off their items the day of the event.

For items that don’t
sell on Friday, the sellers have the choice as to whether or not they would
like to mark them 50-percent off. If an item does not sell at all, the seller
can donate the item to charity or pick it up after the event.

The sellers
automatically get 55 percent of the profit on their items and can raise that
percentage by volunteering to work some shifts at the event.

“It is a great idea for
myself and other moms,” says Burns.

Burns strives to make
shopping at the consignment sales easy, by organizing the whole event like a
department store. Clothing is sorted by gender and size, and toys and other
products are all grouped together.

“Shoppers don’t have to
go from yard sale to yard sale,” says Burns. “It saves time for shoppers.”

The consignment events
offer huge savings, as well as an opportunity for sellers to make money off of
clothing or toys that their children barely used.

Though the sale offers
benefits for the shoppers and the sellers, Burns also says the sales are “so
rewarding” for her and her staff.

“I feel like it’s
something that gives back to the community,” says Burns. “[We’re] helping
people who wouldn’t be able to afford brand name clothing.”

Many shoppers and
consigners return each season to support the sale events. “We’ve become a big
family,” laughs Burns.

Coastal Kids Consignment
Sale also works with numerous charities and local churches, so that the
consigners may donate their leftover items for a good cause.

Burns urges people to
come by her sales, saying that it is “worth the drive” to shop for great
bargains, as well as give back to the community.