This document summarizes observations from visits to six different thrift/consignment stores. In three sentences: The stores varied in appearance from dingy with poor lighting to attractive storefronts with well-lit interiors, and carried inventories ranging from very cheap used items to high-quality contemporary clothing; clientele also differed across stores but mostly attracted older customers browsing for bargains or unique finds; while some stores had friendly staff, others left visitors alone or had clerks that did not seem to pay attention to customers.

1. A Study of Six Thrift/Consignment Stores

2.  Six Stores:
 Eco Fash-thrift store
 Round Robin- consignment
 Encore-Consignment
 Discovery Shop-Non Profit supports American
Cancer Society
 Repete-consignment
 Estatements-”Luxury” consignment

3. Store Front- Attractive sign-Name- Eco I guess it means recycled, but
deceptive as items are not made of environmentally sustainable
materials.
Nice big windows that let in light
Smells-Yuck
Lighting- entry has fluorescents, inside is soft track lighting with tacky
overhead

4. Help-leaves you alone
Quality of items- cheap but in good condition
Pictures on wall-unnattractive in bad frames
Color of interior, pale peach
General impression of well organized, well worn, really second hand
clothes, furniture and items.
Loads of shoes on rack
Clientele- adults. all ages, mostly female.

5.  Sign hidden by ordinary clothes/Designer merchandise- huh?
 Storefront is very very ugly, in an ugly building
 Clerks, very friendly and ask if you want help
 Dark inside. Merchandise crowded.
 Dingy Lighting, ugly lacy curtains

6. Sections are interesting- back room with hats- almost vintage.
Great handbags, actually designers
Central display is great old jewelry. Also commissioned contemporary
handmade jewelry.
Whole section of fur stoles/50’s -Dresses, skirts, blouses, very
mundane, nothing contemporary.
Very, very dark inside, little natural or artificial light
Everything stuffed in.

7.  In ugly building, with uninteresting sign and font
 Big picture window storefront with sometimes dressy clothes on
mannequin
 Entrance in a hallway with vintage looking outfit on mannequin
 Vintage and handmade jewelry in cases at entrance
 Straight ahead, green tiled walls, the kind that have holes for hangin
things on.

8. Very strange looking sales clerk. Overly made up middle aged, not very friendly.
Slightly better selection of clothes, especially dressy clothes way overpriced
Back room for sale items- stuff is really cheap and looks it.
Dressing room unappealing.
Some natural lighting, but ugly overhead fixtures
Wall, peach colored tiles with pegboard holes

9.  Immediate draw as it is for a charity, has charity’s logo
 Storefront has interesting older pieces of furniture, which causes
one to look in.
 Inside first thing is furniture and china.
 China is very high quality, second hand Limoge, etc.
 Nice art work for sale on walls.

10. Has a pleasant open and bright feeling
Small selection of clothing for men and women. Very good quality.
Sales people are volunteers, usually seniors. Nicely dressed and very
friendly.
Clientele tends to be seniors.
High quality not contempory furniture

11. Attractive store front- dark stained wood exterior
Front Window has pretty clothes on display and window treatments
Small, but cozy.
Walk in to a sitting area, with upholstered furniture, with chandelier
above. Never seen anyone sit there though.
Great shoe rack and shoes on display

12.  Contemporary women’s clothing items. Very good quality but not
designer level.
 Shoes, dresses, very stylish, contemporary.
 One sale clerk, probably owner, always scurrying around fixing
things up, doesn’t seem to pay attention to client as they walk in.
 Nice dressing room, with pretty velvet curtain
 Clientele, fairly hip. 30’s and up.

13. The sign is in script to reflect elegance
High end jewelry, covered when store is closed.
Nice clothing on mannequin in the window.
Never have seen a customer in the store.
Salesperson immediately comes out from back to say hello and
approaches you
Salesperson nicely dressed.

14. Big, nicely framed mirrors and other decorative touches
Lots of natural light
Beautiful expensive current clothing
Store gets darker further back you go as it ism long and narrow
Attractive lighting fixtures though
Store all in white an black color