One of the joys of having a baby is going through one of the mass baby retail stores with a scanner gun and filling up your wish list for a registry. You can really get caught up with the “must have” items that your baby will need. A stroller becomes a status item. Push around a Bugaboo and you’re a hip mom with money. Push around a Graco and you’re a practical, no-frills mom.
The recession has apparently changed all that. More first-time parents are taking hand-me-downs and shopping at consignment shops. The children’s toys and goods market has seen a large decline in sales. The worst to be hit are luxury item manufacturers. The story says “Bugaboo, the company that is at the forefront of the luxe stroller movement, has felt the pinch. After growing nearly 33 percent each year from 2005 to 2008, a spokeswoman for the company recently said it is now hoping to clear 3 percent growth this year.”
Has this new frugal attitude hit Baristaville?
I spoke to Renate Ellington, the owner of Milk Money, a children’s consignment shop in Montclair. She has definitely seen an increase of soon-to-be parents coming in for baby gear, such as strollers and exersaucers. While that has been a plus for business, she admitted that the past year she has had an increase in consigning and a decrease in sales –not good for a consignment shop. But perhaps this will change with the trend of a less indulgent parenting style.
If you have baby gear and fall and winter clothing you would like to consign, you can bring it in to Milk Money today and tomorrow from 10 a.m. – noon. If you’re looking to get some great deals, the store will resume it’s regular business hours on Tuesday, August 11–just in time for back to school shopping.
Milk Money
76 Church Street
Montclair, NJ 07042
(973) 744-0504
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Are you using consignment shops more? Do you love to get hand-me-downs?
Hat tip to the Prof for the article.
Photo by Joe Shlabotnik
And if you don’t need your gently used stuff anymore and don’t care about consigning it, please consider donating it to the Human Needs Food Pantry–see other story on Barista Kids!
I adore Milk Money. It’s packed to the rafters with fabulous kids’ clothes in excellent condition – most don’t look like they’ve been worn at all (some haven’t!)
If you have kids, you should go to Milk Money before you go to the mall. Not only do they have good brands for cheap, but you know half the money you spend is going to a local small business and the other half is going to local parents just like you.
It’s a win-win situation for everyone!