Consignment Store Makes Fresh Start in New Location

Whether you're looking for a fur coat to get you through the winter, or a one-of-a-kind lamp to spruce up your living room, Once & Again Consignments might just be the place to find both.

Located at 52 Main Street, the consignment store opened in October. Owner Joanne Dauber previously ran a similar shop on Waverly Place for ten years, but moved to Main Street last year because of its better location.

The store, which is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., sells clothing, furniture, home décor and decorative items, and offers pickup and delivery on furniture.

So far business has been good, Dauber says.

"We have a very loyal clientele from the old store, and we're seeing new faces too. The space is nice and bright, with big front windows to decorate. It's been wonderful."

"What I like about Madison is that it's a walking town," she says. "There are so few pedestrian towns left, and this one has a real downtown area, a train station, and no strip malls. There is a community here."

According to Dauber, Once & Again's ideal clientele is "someone looking to find a good, luxury item at an affordable price."

She says the store sells a lot of everything, with designer handbags being a big draw—"they're expensive items that you can get here in impeccable condition for a good price." In-demand clothing labels include Prada, Theory, Ralph Lauren, Laundry, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton—"they all sell really well," she says. Also popular are home décor pieces: "People like to come in and pick up little things to decorate their homes with."

"I always try to keep some sort of sale going," says Dauber.

Prices range from an average of $10 to $50 for clothing, with authentic designer bags selling for $100 to $300. Furniture runs from $35 for a lamp to $250 for a large chest of drawers. "It's all very reasonable," she says.

Approximately 70 percent of the store's items come from consignment. The rest is from stores going out of business, and clothing and gift shops making room for new inventory.

Dauber, who lives in Florham Park, believes that personal service is what sets her store apart from others.

"It's why we've been in business for as long as we have," she says. "I can create an outfit for you, find pieces that fit in your wardrobe. We can dress you from head to toe. And we don't sell anything vintage, nothing outdated. It's all modern clothing."

"I have a long list of clientele who stop in weekly to see what's new," she continues. "It's hard to describe the latest merchandise over the phone, so it's better for people to come in and see for themselves. They have to look, touch, feel, see."

Dauber pulls a pink metal flamingo out from behind a rack of clothing.

"This is our mascot," she says, laughing. "She's my new favorite! I'm going to put her in the display window for spring. Although I love her so much that I'm not sure I want to sell her."

Does the flamingo have a name? Dauber pauses for a moment. "I think Laverne."