Darlene opened the boutique in April 2011 after she lost her job in administration in August 2009 and, after searching for work with success, she finally decided it was time for her to take a different path. She is a die hard bargain hunter with an eye for fashion and, after doing some research, decided a secondhand boutique was the perfect fit. She has always appreciated quality clothing, but could never bring herself to pay retail prices. As long as she can remember, my wardrobe has come from consignment and thrift stores, and the clearance racks from stores like Ross and Marshalls.

 

She often has people ask if Upscale Resale is a consignment shop. It is not. She orders her inventory from various liquidators and warehouses. While researching for the business, she found there are warehouses that specialize in secondhand inventory for retail stores. And the liquidators provide new items that could be overstock, leftovers, closeouts, etc. from various retail stores. She is able to purchase the best quality, name brand fashions in bulk, for a reduced rate, which allows her to keep her prices low. Brands include Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Gap, BCBG, The Limited, Express, and so on, and the majority of items in the boutique are priced under $20. She cleans all items before they go out on the racks, and inspects all items to ensure the highest quality.

 

New items are added every Thursday ~ in a variety of sizes and styles. There is always a sale going on! Items with a red star on the tag are an additional 20% off. Darlene tries to keep inventory moving, so anything that has been in the store 4 weeks gets a red star, and after 8 weeks it moves to the $4 rack.