Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Did You Know?

We know - your inbox is full of spam and the idea of giving a perfect stranger your email address may not seem so super. So here's our promise to you: First, we will never give anyone else your information. Period. Second, we'll only send you emails if we've got cool news to share with you, such as: awesome inventory, sales/events that we're hosting, exclusive coupons, or need-to-know info like if we close for a holiday. And if you ever find that you don't want to get our emails anymore, all you have to do is click "unsubscribe" on any email we send you and you're instantly removed from the database.
Want to sign up? Just email us at subscribe@fkconsign.com from the email address that you'd like to add.

Monday, December 20, 2010

These are a few of my favorite things...

I can't believe we've almost had our blog up and running for a year. We've learned so much and had so much fun. For the company's end of the year party I sorted through all of the pictures we (well - mostly Carrie!) took and chose my favorite of each Boutique Girl, and then turned those into 8 by 10 prints. Here are the pictures that I chose:










Wednesday, December 8, 2010

candy colored

What *is* it about a delicously colored handbag or pair of shoes that makes my mouth water? I mean sometimes it has that really delightful, rich, leather scent that fills my nose (and heart) with wonder and anticipation like a kid's first real Christmas tree... but we're talking a Pavlovian response here: I see a leather, jewel-toned purse and it's like someone ringing the dinner bell. Don't judge, but sometimes - especially if I can't afford it - I'll pick it up and talk to it, tell it about the adventures we'd take, ensemble plans I have for it, that I'd never *ever* take it out during rain or put trash in it or leave it in my car or on the floor (lies, lies, lies - but I really do try.) And that I love it enough to let it go when that lucky customer plucks it from the shelf and takes it home with her...

Marc Jacobs Clutch


Cool Kicks!

Boots Boots Boots!

Valentino Pink Patent Handbag - New with tags!


Louis Vuitton Heels



Huge Longchamp weekender

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

All I want for Christmas is...

On Saturday I texted Stephanie to see how the day was going. Her response: an email that should've been wrapped with a shiny bow: pictures and descriptions of newly arrived inventory that I'm certain had her drooling all over the keyboard! Christian Louboutin, Louis Vuitton, Coach, Armani, Badgley Mischka, and more. Her personal favorite: a brand-spankin-new pair of Givenchy heels. I saw them with my own eyes on Monday: 4 inch heels with triple mary-jane straps that decorate an ankle with carefully crafted perfection; the glassy, smooth, nobody's-ever-taken-a-step-in-me soles are deliciously caramel in color and so shiny I could see my reflection in them... and this is a SHOE! Anyways, enough about what we'd love to see under our Christmas trees. Take a peek... what's your favorite?





















You've got stuff. You want to help charities. Now what?

Charities and fund raising efforts depend on people like you and are eternally grateful for your contribution. And you can give even more support by taking the time to sort through your items before you send them somewhere for donation/consignment. Collection sites spend a lot of time, effort, and resources disposing of items that aren’t usable. Look at each piece. Is it still truly useful? Is it current enough for someone to wear/use today? Is it (really) in good shape? Throwing out belongings might feel wasteful, but it actually saves the charity/organization time and money for you to screen your own items with a careful eye before you donate them.

Consignment stores have become a great way for charities to earn money from the resale of better merchandise. Keep this in mind: consignment stores are for profit companies, so the prices tend to be higher than thrift stores (because they don’t receive government funding of any kind to offset expenses) so customers expect good quality and only minimal (if any) signs of wear. Shopping consignment has become trendy, and these trendsetting shoppers expect stores to keep up. Look at each piece and honestly answer: would I buy this again today? If the answer is yes, then it’s likely someone else would buy it again too. If the answer is no, then decide whether a donation center could truly use it or if it should simply get tossed out. Don’t feel guilty! You’re actually doing charities a favor.

Finders Keepers Consignment Stores have set up accounts to raise money for multiple charities. These accounts earn more than regular consignor accounts, and receive 50% of the purchase price of every item. In 2010, Finders Keepers raised more than $10,000 for Haitian Relief Efforts alone. If you have things you’d like to sell in the name of a charity, bring your items in neatly (note: clothing wadded in a trash bag wrinkles within seconds and people won’t buy wrinkly stuff) and fill out our “pink slip” with the name of the organization that you’d like to donate the proceeds from your items to, or let a store representative know what charity you’d like to support and he or she will help you from there. That’s it! We will then screen the items for sell-ability. Anything deemed unsellable will be donated to the charities that we support, but we do not give tax write-offs and do not receive funding as a collection center, so a pre-screen by you in your own home will help all the way around.

Our three stores each have accounts set up for many different charities, and each have different consignment needs. Finders Keepers Fashions sells men’s, women’s, plus-sized, and maternity clothing as well as accessories: shoes, handbags, scarves, jewelry, etc. This store has a customer-demand for current and good-quality work-wear, suits, and wardrobe staples as well as fun and trendy pieces. Check your clothing for moth holes, tears, discoloration (particularly around the neck or under the arms,) spots, and stains. Shoes must be in new or nearly-new condition with no visible wear inside, and very minimal wear (if any) outside. The same rules apply at Finders Keepers Boutique, but this store has a high demand for funky and trendy merchandise, and doesn’t do so well with the basics or conservative wear like suits or sets. This location starts with labels like J. Crew and Banana Republic, and continues through couture fashion designers like Chanel and Prada. This store only carries clothing sizes 0-14, and also only sells clothing for women. Neither store accepts knock-offs or counterfeits of any kind, so please don’t bring them. Finders Keepers Furnishings sells furniture and home décor, and does best with contemporary pieces from retailers like Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel. They’re looking for newer import styles, neutral colors, and clean lines. Knick-knacks, do-dads, porcelain figurines, etc. do not sell in this store. A good rule of thumb: if it didn’t sell at the yard sale, it won’t sell here.

Learn more about our policies and the charities we support on our website: http://www.fkconsign.com/