Meet the Owners: Jennifer & Katie Brewer

Jennifer and Katie Brewer are used to bargain hunting. As two sisters in a family of nine, this duo has always had an eye for deals.

“We have an incredibly big family,” Katie Brewer said.“Our mom has 31 grandkids and with a family like that you learn fast how to get the most out of a budget.”

That’s part of the reason why they opened a high-end consignment shop, Designer Carousel, in Shakopee. “In a tough economy more and more people are watching their bottom line, but that doesn’t mean they want to sacrifice style,” Jennifer Brewer said. “At our shop, they don’t have to.”

The Brewers were born and raised in Shakopee and aside from running a business; they have families of their own. Jennifer has five kids and Katie has six.

“With the amount of kids clothes our families go through, we should have opened this shop a long time ago,” Katie Brewer said with a laugh. “It could have saved us a lot of money.”

Two years ago the Brewer sisters opened their shop on First Avenue inside a 120-year-old brick building that previously was a home. Racks of clothes are displayed around a fireplace and underneath tin ceilings.

“It really is a unique building,” Jennifer Brewer said.

Each of the small rooms is organized with racks of clothes, shelves of shoes and designer purses. “Shakopee isn’t really known for its shopping,” Katie Brewer said. “We wanted to offer local people a spot to shop, and we’re happy to say you can now find a Coach purse in Shakopee, right at our store.”

The clothes and accessories come from local consignors as well as bargains the sisters find online. Those wanting to consign at their store bring in their clothes and receive 40 percent of every sale, or they can opt for 50 percent of the profit if it’s used in the store.

“We set the prices on each item, which get marked down as each week passes,” Jennifer Brewer explained. “The consigners make some cash, customers get to shop for great deals, and we get to run a family business. It’s great.”

While their business has dealt with a few hurdles recently, including floods and construction making it difficult for customers to get their shop, the two are now looking to future with a second shop in the works.