Kids Consignment Sale Comes to Annapolis

The gym at the will soon fill up with more than 50,000 gently used children's items for a four-day sale from Aug. 23 to 26.

"I started the sale as a mom who was trying to sell her stuff, and I was very unhappy with the consignment options out there," sale organizer Mimi Shea said. "I felt like the moms needed an opportunity to get some money back from their own items."

So Shea started the Wee-Sale in 2007. It's a consignment sale for toys, books, clothing, strollers, pack and plays, jumpers and basically any piece of equipment you could buy for a child.

It's not just used clothes either. Shea said the sale offers last season's  clothing at reduced prices.

In the past five years, the sale has grown to fill the entire 35,000-square- foot gym at the rec center. Shea anticipates approximately 550 consignors will sell more than 50,000 items at this year's sale.

Anyone can become a consignor, and if you're looking to sell your items at the Wee-Sale, the deadline to register is Aug. 20 at midnight. 

To sell your items, log onto the Wee-Sale website and click on the consign button. You will be prompted to enter your items into the web inventory system and print out tags. Then you bring your stuff to a specific location during the drop-off period before the sale starts.

"I recommend that people price their things at about one third the price of retail," Shea said.

She did emphasize that the sale does not accept cribs manufactured before June 2011 and parents are asked to check recall information on all their items.

Consignors earn between 55 to 65 percent of the sale price. Shea said the percentage a mom or dad makes depends on how much work he or she contributes to the sale.

Sellers are not required to be present at all during the sale, but Shea said, "If you wanted to work at the sale for a four shift, you can earn 60 percent. An eight-hour shift will earn you 65 percent."

Plus, Shea said, volunteers get to shop early, which is the big draw. She said, "I have a lot of people who volunteer even though they don’t consign because they want to shop early."

Parents also have the option of pricing the items themselves or letting the Wee-Sale staff handle it.

"It’s a really nice service for moms who are really busy," Shea said. "The Busy Mom service will hang and tag all your items, and you will just earn less of a percentage."

Consigners can pick up their unsold items after the sale, or allow Shea to donate them to the Mission of Peace, a charity that takes the items to impoverished areas of West Virginia. They also run a food bank in Edgewater at the Church of God.

Wee-Sale Hours:

Thursday, Aug. 23 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (no strollers or walking children before noon on opening day)

Friday, Aug. 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 25 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (25% off day)

Sunday, Aug. 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (50% off day)