Renee's Boutique & Consignment- Frugal Finds for the Fashion Forward!

I recently got in touch with Renee, owner of Renee's Boutique & Consignment in Great Barrington, MA (I know her from college...we graduated from the same university). When I found out that she had recently opened her own consignment boutique I had to feature her!

Who isn't looking for a more frugal way to shop for clothes these days? I know I am. When I get the chance to shop I am constantly looking for sale items and deals. This is where consignment shops can step in and save your budget & give you your fashion fix. At consignment shops you can find designer items that may have only been worn once or twice (or maybe even never)at a much lower price than retail.

This is what Renee's boutique is all about. I will let her tell you all about it!

*Give me a brief introduction of your self: I am 25, married, and was SO ready to start my own business. I graduated with my bachelors just in Business Administration hoping to someday open some sort of shop of my own. I was most recently working for an insurance company in claims and getting no satisfaction out of it whatsoever, so I decided it was time to open shop.

*When did you first know you wanted to open a boutique/consignment shop?: I started selling on Ebay when Ebay really started to take off when i was only a junior in high school back in 2000. I loved the idea of second hand clothing. I used to have "trading parties" with my friends and I was like, what if people all over the country or world could do this! Ebay was a kind of way to do that. So I sold on ebay for the last 10 years, and it even helped pay some of my way through college. I would sell my own things or my friends, or even things from tag sales. I knew someday I would want to do it for a living, and wanted a store to have more a face-to-face business, not just online. I believe people really excel at things are sucessful in life with the things they are most passionate about. So it was time for me to really do something I was passionate about.

*Do you have any favorite designers that you like to carry?: I wanted to carry a lot of the brands that you would go to the mall and get, and just have the prices be at least half of what they would be at the mall. So we carry common brands such as Express, Ann Taylor Loft, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, The Limited, Martin Osa, Hollister, etc. We like to say "Get Designer Clothing without the Designer Prices!" I wanted a nice range of affordable clothing along with higher end things. So we also carry designer jeans and handbags such as 7 for all mankind, AG, Rock & Republic, Citizens for humanity, Lucky Brand, True Religion, Coach, Dooney & Bourke, Vera Bradley, Etc. So for those brand shoppers out there- they can get a really great item at a great price!

*How did you get to this point...in opening your boutique?: Ebay, paypal, and shipping fees got outrageous and I wasn't doing as well on ebay anymore but I still had a passion for what I was doing. I knew I wasn't cut out for the corporate world either. The economy was in a slow decline and at the same time the country was starting a major focus on "Thinking Green". I wasn't going to let my business degree go to waste, and well...everything (all those things I just mentioned) just seemed to point at me starting my own consignment boutique! With the support of my parents and my husband I quit my job ( a scary thing in an economy like this) and opened shop! I wanted to do my part in helping people make and save money (part of our logo is "Think Green! Save Green! Make Green!) and it truly was recycling made-chic as I always say!
My mother is my full time employee and we do it all together. It is a great chance for us to both do something we love and are passionate about and also to spend time together!

Thanks, Renee! :)

Here is Renee (above) looking all stylin' and chic...all in clothes from her boutique! Reminder--these are consignment pieces! She has on antique Sterling Silver earrings, Hand made necklaces one from Israel and one local from Ct, A shirt from Rue 21, Hudson Jeans, Aigner Red Leather Boots, and a Dolce & Gabanna Red Leather Handbag.

It's time to consignment shop, everyone. How can you not? If you're anywhere near Great Barrington, MA...make sure to stop in to Renee's Boutique & Consignment. I am sure you won't regret it!