Ask Jo!

Ask Jo! is a help-column written by Jo White, Creative Consultant, Interior Decorator, DIYer, Personal Chef, Exterior Designer & Garden Planner, and avid birder.  You may send your questions to blairsvillager@gmail.com, or ask them on facebook.  All questions will be answered, and some will be chosen at random to appear on either/or Blairsvillager.com and Facebook.  Although each question will be answered with a professional solution, a lot of light humor will be injected just for fun!

On  Monday, January 7th

TINA LANGE asked: Can you give me some pointers for a new Beautiful Transitions thrift store Tiffany Atkins and I will be opening in Blue Ridge?

JO WHITE: Great question -- not only have I been the opening consultant for thrift stores in three states, but thrift stores are close to my heart. I grew up with a savvy mother -- and shopping outings in Salvation Army stores are some of my earliest recollections.  Back then, they were pretty much the only thrift stores around.


My best advice for you and Tiffany is to remember that thrift stores are retail stores.  The same concepts used in retail boutiques should also be used in thrift stores, the main three being (1) the use of both psychologically stimulating and emotionally soothing color and music, (2) consistently rearranging floor plans and displays to keep customers seeing something new, and (3) knowing your merchandise -- even if it was donated. 

In addition -- in a retail thrift store setting where clothing is sold, you'll need to have comfortable, attractive dressing rooms with good lighting and distortion-free mirrors.  One of the main turn-offs in thrift stores is being directed to a public bathroom with concrete walls and floor to try on clothing. Often you have to take off your shoes and stand on that cold, bare floor.  It's so easy to build dressing rooms which are nothing more than boxes without plumbing.


In Treasures on First, a thrift store I opened for Oconee Christian Academy in Seneca, SC, we built two dressing rooms that were each 5' x 5'.  We painted them pretty colors, covered one entire wall in each with plate glass mirror (which made them appear more spacious), placed pretty boudoir chairs & side tables and attractive oriental rugs in each, provided soft lighting from table and floor lamps, installed plenty of wall hooks, and hung tiny stereo speakers in them.  Ladies actually came into the store -- which is still going strong 9 years later -- because they'd heard about the beautiful dressing rooms!   When customers were in those dressing rooms, they may have been trying on inexpensive second hand merchandise, but they felt like they were in a tony boutique, which made them feel good and made the  merchandise more attractive, which in turn created sales.  Everything --- EVERYTHING about retailing is psychological, and must appeal to the senses.  

I know you'll have a lot of questions, so I'll sit down with you and Tiffany to help you have the best thrift store in Blue Ridge!

Readers:  Tina Lange has communicated with me that they are starting over in Blue Ridge from scratch, and are in need of clothing and household donations.  Their contact information is as follows: Tina Lange 706.851-5872 or Tiffany Atkins 706.855-5630, or email them: beautifultransitions@live.com