New Consignment Shop Opens in La Jolla

La Jolla Boulevard has a brand-new clothing store. Take 2 Ladies Consignment Boutique isn’t filled with the newest and trendiest clothes; it’s choc-full of what were once called hand-me-downs. Consignment shops are custom built for people looking to find great deals on designer items.

America seems to have rediscovered its love of a kinder, gentler time. A mania for retro has emerged – witness the Mad Men and now Pan Am TV shows. 

Whether it’s the fashions or a more flush period we long for, the result is a resurgence of thrift and consignment stores, and like “pop-ups,” these stores have never been more hip or trendy.  

Take 2 owners David Collett and his wife Alexandra moved their shop from Rancho Penesquitos to the new location in LJ last month. It’s not their first foray into retail; Alexandra owned a boutique in Carmel in the 1970s. David was a Mercedes Benz dealer for eight years, and a bookie for several years in the UK – he assures La Jolla Patch it’s legal there.

The store is filled with designer labels including handbags by Dooney & Burke, Juicy Couture, Louis Vuitton and Burberry; dresses by Yigal Azrouel and Diane von Furstenberg; and shoes by Manolo Blahnik. 

“Our biggest sellers are designer handbags, denim and shoes. But we get new stuff every day. Right now we’ve got True Religion, Frankie B. and 7 For All Mankind jeans. Everything we sell is less than half of the retail price. Everybody likes a good deal,” David Collett says. 

La Jolla is home to several consignment shops and none are newcomers to the scene. , a men’s clothing store, has been open on Fay Avenue for more than 12 years. It’s a father-and-son-owned business. 

“My buddies who are all in their 20s are regular shoppers at the store,” said Sal Viesca, the son in the family-owned business. “It’s the trend these days to be a little appreciative of vintage clothing.”

Next door to Le Chauvinist is . It’s been around for more than 20 years and is presently owned by sisters Lamara Siglov and Natella Popova. 

And , located on Fay Avenue, has been owned and operated by Patti Alksne for almost 30 years.

“The key to successful consignment shopping is taking your time to find the sometimes hidden designer gems. I’ve got a dancer who comes in here every week to consign her heels. She’s worn them maybe once, and they’re always well-known designer shoe brands. You find those, if they’re in your size, and you’ve hit the jackpot,” David Collett says.

Take 2:

Address: 6786 La Jolla Blvd.

Phone: 858-459-0095

Hours: 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays