Clothing consignment shop opens

By Gina Kabat, Tri County News

Imagine trading closets with your best friend.

Two moms who "swapped" clothes for years decided to make a business out of it.

"The store happened a few years sooner than we originally planned, but with the economy the way it is right now, we figured it was a good time to go for it," said Jody Riesterer, part owner of Kiel's newest resale and consignment store, Closet 2 Closet.

Angie Binversie and Jody always knew they had the developing stages of a great idea when they exchanged clothing for their daughters years ago. Keeping each other trendy and fashionable was also part of just being best friends. Shopping for name brand clothing at reasonable prices was also part of the fun. But where could someone shop for brand names like Aeropostle, Gap, Tommy Hilfiger, or Nike in Kiel? It seemed a trip to Appleton, Green Bay or Milwaukee was necessary. It just made good fashion sense to them to offer these types of brand name clothing along with several other recognizable and durable brand name clothing lines to shoppers locally. Their design was to consign.

Closet 2 Closet welcomes consignors who wish to have their gently used clothing/purses or shoes sold in their shop on Fremont Street in downtown Kiel. Consignment is simple; just make an appointment to drop off your items with Angie or Jody. Then, the items will be reviewed before being placed on display. Accepted items will be priced to sell quickly but at the best value and per space and time limit. Every item has its own bar code for tracking and sale information.

Store owners encourage sellers to look for items which are currently fashionable and should be cleaned and pressed before dropping them off. "Designer and popular labels will sell more quickly," said Angie, who has sold many major labels since opening in early May. Consignment payments will go to the consignor in the amount of 40 percent of the selling price. Checks will be mailed out every other month for amounts over $30. Amounts under $30 may be picked up anytime during store hours or used as store credit. Any unsold items after 120 days will be donated to St. Vincent De Paul of Kiel.

Consider this store one big walk- in closet. Items for sale include gently used baby clothing through women's and men's adult fashions. The store also sells pre-owned accessories such as purses, jewelry and shoes. Toys, strollers, highchairs and furniture are not being accepted at this time.

The store operates as a cash or check only business to defray the cost of major credit card charges associated with debit or credit card transactions. Over 600 square feet of space is used to display brand name clothing, shoes and accessories at reasonable prices. A fitting room is available for shoppers to try on items and a small child play area has been incorporated into the floor plan for busy shoppers looking for bargains.

The consignment shoppe is located at 510 Fremont St. in Kiel, in the former Bella's Custom Design Inc. storefront. Hours will be Mondays from noon to 5 p.m.; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Interested parties looking to have items on consignment or to drop off saleable goods may inquire at 894-4646. Closet 2 Closet is interested in displaying wedding gowns, bridesmaid and prom dresses.

Before heading out of town for back to school shopping this fall, browse through the many racks of clothing here first, doing just what two best friends have done for many years; essentially, moving clothes from closet to closet.

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