New Resale Shop Opens In Creve Coeur

The St. Louis arm of a national organization dedicated to helping women and families has decided to relocate to Creve Coeur.

The National Council of Jewish Women is moving the agency's offices, and the resale clothing shop which funds the organizations initiatives, to the former Hopper Furs building at 295 North Lindbergh Boulevard (near .) Both are moving to Creve Coeur from separate locations in University City.

NCJW-St. Louis Executive Director Ellen Alper walked Patch through the work in progress last week, prior to this past Monday's soft opening for the store, which will feature clothing, housewares, and eventually furniture.

A more formal grand opening is scheduled for November 10-11. Alper said typical items would price out at between $4-$6 up to $50. A designer suit that might normally retail at $1,000 could be available for $100-$150, she said.

The move to Creve Coeur was more than 2 years in the making. The NCJW looked at leasing the space just as the economy was faltering and decided the time wasn't right. It now owns the building, and Alper said in addition to having operations under one roof, Creve Coeur also allows for a higher-profile location in a good geographic area close to a large majority of members, which also means easier access to donations.

It also means the resale industry in Creve Coeur has some competition. , which also takes consignment, opened earlier this year.

According to a study released in February by the National Association of Resale Professionals:

The 2010 Operating Survey showed a growth in net sales of 12.7% for 2009 from 2008. Respondents reported strong growth rates for the past five years with 2009 being the strongest. This is a significant increase considering that retail sales overall were down 7.3% in 2009 from 2008, according to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

"Resale is up all over the place because of the economy, Alper said. "People are looking to spend their money more wisely, they want to get more bang for the buck, so if they go into a resale store and they can spend 20 dollars and buy 3 items versus walking into a department store and getting one, where would you go?"

Like Potentials, money from sales at the NCJW resale shop goes to fund non-profit programs. Current projects are focused on those meeting the needs of women and children in need, including a micro-bank for victims of domestic violence.