Today we’d like to introduce you to Kailea and Kaci Henderson.
Kailea and Kaci, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
We are twin sisters who have a love for resale and dreamed of starting our own resale store. We had both worked in retail and taken business classes in college which added to our motivation and inspiration of starting our own resale business. With the trend of resale on the rise, we wanted to break the stigma that used items are generally not desirable and offer a better alternative. We wanted to show that used items still have worth, prestige, and value while being financially available, so we opened our resale store named 2nd Avenue. We decided on the name 2nd Avenue to convey that the clothing we sell is still in excellent condition and is being given a second chance. We are avid thrift store shoppers and love finding great deals.
However, many times we would hunt through racks of clothing at thrift stores inventory only to find a few items that were still in good condition. We wished there was a resale store which offered less of a hunt and more of a high success rate when looking for nice used clothing, so we decided to make that one of our main focus points in our business. We wanted to provide peace of mind for our customers about the quality of clothing at our store, which is why all items undergo a meticulous inspection process that ensures they reach the high condition standards we are looking for before they are added to our inventory. We want our customers to be confident and satisfied with every purchase made at 2nd Avenue.
While filling out the paperwork, purchasing equipment, setting up a lease, and doing all of the necessary steps to opening a business we also began gathering inventory. We went online and in stores noting the newest fashions and current trends and jotting them down in notebooks. We went to countless garage sales and resale stores purchasing inventory in preparation of opening 2nd Avenue. We now receive our inventory from customers who bring in their clothing to sell to us for cash. It has been incredible to see how 2nd Avenue has grown from being a dream and a cardboard box of clothes in our living room to a growing business with a constant flow of new and returning customers and inventory.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
We wish we could say it has all been smooth sailing, but that would be wishful thinking. Our first struggle was figuring out the first steps to take in turning a vision into a tangible business. We did loads of research to find out what legal requirements were needed to start a business in Texas. Once that was accomplished and 2nd Avenue created, we looked for a storefront. We wanted a location that was easily accessible and in a well-known area that had a steady flow of shoppers. Finding the right location was a process that involved sitting in parking lots at different times on different days and keeping track of the amount of traffic (or lack thereof) in potential shopping centers. We narrowed our choices down to a handful of stores, but found that our first choices wouldn’t rent to us because a) we were a start-up business and b) we were a resale store. This goes back to the stigma that surrounds the quality of secondhand clothing stores. Once that hurdle was overcome, we began the hunt for inventory.
Prior to opening 2nd Avenue, we would acquire inventory by going to garage sales and reaching out to sellers through online listings. However, there were many people who didn’t want the hassle of hosting a garage sale or they didn’t quite understand how to post online and therefore simply threw their items away. We needed a way to connect with them and inform them that our business pays cash for clothes. In order to do that, we had to get the word out.
We looked into multiple newspapers and online newsletters, but that type of advertising was outside of our budget. We needed a more economical way to reach a wide range of people, so we made flyers and business cards which we handed out to banks, schools, local businesses, coffee shops, automotive shops, dentist offices, and other business. We turned to social media as well and used different platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. We also introduced ourselves to the other resale shops in the area and now a referral system with one another.
Please tell us about 2nd Avenue.
2nd Avenue is a resale clothing store which, unlike consignment, pays cash for clothes the same day they are brought in for consideration. We look for clothing that is currently in style and in excellent condition. All of our clothing is reviewed before it is added to our inventory. We do not accept any items that are damaged (such as holes, missing buttons, broken zippers, stains, stretched-out fabric/elastic, snags, etc.) We pride ourselves on the quality of our clothing and we have extremely high standards for every piece of inventory that we put out on the sales floor. We want our customers to have confidence that every item they select will be in excellent condition and well-worth their purchase. Many customers comment that they wouldn’t know 2nd Avenue was a secondhand store based on the quality of the clothing because it does not appear used.
We are also glad to provide an alternative way to sell clothes other than dealing with the hassle of having a garage sale, posting items online, or consigning. We offer a safe environment and a time-conscientious process for customers wishing to sell clothing. We review the customers’ items and give a cash offer for those which have been selected the same day. Again, every item undergoes a meticulous review process to ensure it reaches our high standards. Our main goal at 2nd Avenue is to prove that second-hand doesn’t mean second-rate. We make it possible to dress in name brands and styles that appear new at a fraction of the retail price.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
If we had to start over, we would have had a grand opening. Our build-out took longer than expected which threw off our schedule. A grand opening would have brought more awareness to our business and started us off with a boost.
Pricing:
- Items are priced at 50 – 70% off current retail prices, but also depend on style, brand, condition, demand, and current inventory levels
Contact Info:
- Address: 2nd Avenue
385A Sawdust Rd.
The Woodlands, TX 77380 - Website: 2ndavenueclothingresale.business.site
- Phone: 281-651-4765
- Email: 2avenue.resale@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/2ndavenueresale/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/2ndAvenueClothingResale/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/2ndAvenueResale/
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