Clothing store aims for young adults

| PHILIP A. DWYER THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

Swanson plans to hire about 20 employees.

Swanson said the business will pay cash for “slightly used” brand-name clothes, including Abercrombie & Fitch, Aeropostale, American Eagle, Limited and Old Navy. Customers won’t have to consign the clothes; they’ll get the money on the spot if the store makes an acceptable offer. The store uses a computer system to determine the price to pay for the clothes.

“We’re selective in terms of what we’ll take, turning away about 70 percent of what comes in the door,” Swanson said. “We use the same standards that someone trying on clothes at a store in the mall would use: No stains or holes, unless they were meant to be there, of course.”

The traditional clothing consignment business has been growing in the last two years, with the opening of several businesses, including Labels at Bakerview Square, Full Circle Family Consignment Boutique in Everson and Re-Threads in Bellingham.

“Getting good clothes, even ones slightly used, at great prices is attractive to customers, especially the age group we’re targeting,” Swanson said.

Swanson said they will typically sell T-shirts in the $6 range, while jeans will be in the $20 range. Designer clothes will cost about $50. He said the reason the business is coming to Bellingham is the growing metro area with a solid college student base here.

“Our target audience is males and females in their teens and 20s, and we had a good base of Bellingham people stopping in our Lynnwood store,” Swanson said.

“This will be more convenient for them, and it will give us a chance to build on that base.” Plato’s Closet is a national franchise with more than 200 locations. More information can be found at www.platoscloset.com.

SLOWER TIMES FOR LEASING AGENTS
The national economic turmoil appears to have had a chilling effect on companies leasing retail space locally.

A few local commercial real estate agents have noticed the slowdown this month, although this is typically a slow time of year as national retailers ponder options on whether to move into an area.

“There seems to be a bit of a wait-and-see attitude right now, especially with national retailers as they see what happens with the overall economy,” said Blain Hardy of Hardy & Associates. “There is still some activity from Canadian buyers, but overall it’s slower than usual right now.”

Brian Finnegan of WestCom Properties also expects things to slow down for now, but if there is an economic slowdown, there are opportunities.

“When it looks like the economy is going sour, sometimes people decide it’s a time they want to start their own business,” Finnegan said.

The usual window for new stores coming to the area is between now and this summer, because retailers want to make sure they are open by the fourth quarter, when the holiday shopping season gets into full swing, said Erin Sundean of The Bedford Group.

“It seems like a January similar to previous years to me, but we’ll see,” Sundean said. “Property owners had been commanding top dollar for some spots, but if things do slow down, that could change.”

OTHER TIDBITS
Meridian Plaza, the shopping center near Burger King and Mi Mexico, will soon be undergoing a facelift, with a new facade and other features. Erin Sundean, leasing agent for the shopping center, said they plan to have the renovations completed later this spring. … A liquor license application to change the ownership and business name of Wild Buffalo House of Music was submitted earlier this month to the state Liquor Control Board. The proposed new name is Jazzbones Bellingham WB, and the new owners listed are Lisa Suzuki and Young Hee Sutton. … An auction was held Friday for items at Bay City Creamery, which closed in the fall.

Retail Tip Sheet runs each Monday. Reach Dave Gallagher at 715- 2269 or dave.gallagher@bellinghamherald.com.