First pop-up consignment shop heading to Saint John
One-day shop helps families sell unwanted items, find bargains
Saint John families looking to sell used children's clothes, toys and sports equipment or to find some bargains will get their chance when a travelling pop-up consignment shop visits the city.
Jenna Morton says the shop will be setting up at Exhibition Park for a sale on April 22.
"It's a pop-up shop, so we come in, and it's bare walls at Exhibition Place. We turn it into a store, and 24 hours later, it's bare walls again."
Morton and her business partner, Cary Beaumont, both from Moncton bring in the racks and tables and families wanting to sell their stuff sign up with them online.
"They show up on Friday with their things, and we set everything up," said Morton. "When you come in on Saturday morning to shop, it's like a store. Everything is hanging, sized, and sorted.
"Everything you could want, one spot."
Flexible option
Morton says all items have a price tag with a bar code allowing shoppers to pay in one location rather than going from table to table.
"We even take debit, which is a huge help for people."
The idea for the business came when Morton and her business partner, both young mothers, wanted to return to the workforce but didn't want to give up the flexibility they had.
They began working on multiple consignment sales in Moncton and decided to create a business for the pop-up consignment shop.
Win-win for all
The pop-up shop operates on a commission basis.
"People register with us, and when the items sell — only when the items sell — we get a portion of the sale."
Morton said sellers will get between 65 and 80 per cent of the amount an item sells for, and the shop takes the rest, which covers the cost of the equipment, debit machines and venue rental.
While they see up to 1,000 shoppers at the Moncton sales, Morton expects the first sale in Saint John to be a bit smaller.
"We're hoping that we have 50 to 100 families selling their items, and several hundred come through and shop," Morton said. "There's no limit to the number of shoppers that can come through and benefit from this type of sale."
As for the stuff that doesn't sell, Morton said the business is looking for a partner in Saint John to take the unwanted items if the sellers don't want to come back and get them at the end of the sale.
"In Moncton, we work with What Kids Need, or Harvest House Atlantic. We're looking to find a group in Saint John who will just say, 'Yup, we'll take whatever doesn't sell.'"
People interested in taking part can sign up at Grapevineevents.ca or check out the site on Facebook.
With files from Information Morning Saint John