By Pat Lawrence
Tammy Krepshaw and Dee Watters think clothes are twice as nice when
they are half the price. Opening the Consignment Company, their upscale
resale shop, was a reflection of personal values as well as the realization
of a personal dream. The dynamic duo met four years ago, while working
at another resale shop Tammy says "We found out almost immediately
that we had everything in common practically from birth! Dee agrees
"We're like twins separated at birth. We both modeled, both went
to Catholic schools. Our whole lives were alike."
Tammy says "When we first worked together we would giggle and
fantasize about how we would do things if we owned the store. We started
actually talking about it and our ideas just meshed. We wanted a contemporary
shop with fashionable clothing and accessories that women like us
could afford. Nothing except the jewelry would be more than two years
old. We wanted the shop to be open and fresh looking, with plenty
of room. And we wanted to have a shop that was faithful to the consignors
as much as the customers."
They talked about it for almost two years. Finally, "We just
decided to hold our breath and jump in!" They were painting and
putting in fixtures on September 11th. "We worried at first that
it was just the wrong time to open a business. But, we had come so
far and so many things had just fallen into place for us, we decided
to go ahead."
The Consignment Company opened in downtown Charleston in October.
It is a shop just like the two imagined, fresh, contemporary and roomy.
Dee says "We were in the right place at the right time to get
the things that we needed. A lot of our fixtures and display cases
came from Ward's after they closed. We have a great landlord. When
we opened, we got clothes from all of our families, friends and neighbors.
Now, we have over 200 consignors bringing us clothes, jewelry and
accessories and they are great.
Tammy says "The most important thing about a consignment shop
is pricing. Our consignors and our customers learn to trust us to
know what prices are appropriate. We shop all the time to see what
things are selling for at regular retail stores and at discount stores.
Our prices have to be fair for the consignor and be a bargain for
the buyer."
Consignors get 50% of the selling price for each item and their
contract stipulates that all items are currently in style and in perfect
condition. Although they do a little advertising, most of their business
comes from happy shoppers who have told their friends about the store.
They carry a variety of labels, from Old Navy to Dana Buchman. "And
they are priced about half of normal retail!" Tammy says. "A
lot of clothes that are brought in have never been worn. Women's clothing
has a lot to do with how we feel about ourselves and how we feel about
the day. Women like to change their look. With consignment, you can
change your whole wardrobe four times a year and not feel guilty.
Dee admits that she hasn't paid full retail for anything in years.
"If it's not on sale, I just walk on by. The mark-up is outrageous!
Tammy says "I only wear consignment clothes. A good look is a
good look and if it's a bargain, it looks even better to me!
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