Story & PhotoS by Julie linnekin - Quintessential Barrington Magazine
Story & PhotoS by Julie linnekin - Quintessential Barrington Magazine
Story & PhotoS by Julie linnekin - Quintessential Barrington Magazine
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<strong>Story</strong> & Photos <strong>by</strong> <strong>Julie</strong> Linnekin<br />
Caroline Donahue, Sarah Dombek and Kellie Mullany
Garments, shoes, accessories – and a shopper’s budget – find new life in the resale shops dotting main streets across<br />
the country. <strong>Quintessential</strong> <strong>Barrington</strong> followed three of the <strong>Barrington</strong>’s savviest bargain hunters – Caroline Donahue,<br />
Sarah Dombek and Kellie Mullany – to five shops located within walking distance of downtown <strong>Barrington</strong> to learn<br />
some bargain-hunting secrets.<br />
It’s a crisp Tuesday morning in March and Station<br />
Street is bustling. A woman is rushing down the street with her arms<br />
full of books and bags. She stops to chat with a shop owner who has<br />
just stepped outside. There is laughter between them and then the<br />
woman continues down the street, adjusting her belongings as she fishes for<br />
her keys.<br />
So begins another day for Laura Knecht, owner and artisan of Re De Find,<br />
a resale shop on Station Street. She brings out her signature mannequins, one<br />
<strong>by</strong> one, and sets them up around a table as if they will soon be playing a<br />
game of bridge. Each are decked out in vintage couture, heavily accessorized<br />
with beads and baubles. One wears a skirt made of forty-some scarves, and<br />
a strong breeze brings her to life. Cars slow down to take a second look and<br />
Laura’s Re De Find is open for business.<br />
Re De Find is one of several secondhand stores thriving in <strong>Barrington</strong>.<br />
Some specialize in clothing, while others are all about furniture and home<br />
accessories. There is even a store called Rainbow Records that sells used record<br />
albums and recycled music. What is the draw to these shops and why<br />
are they growing in popularity?<br />
What once had the stigma of being a place to go in desperate financial<br />
times now seems to be an accepted solution to paying full price. Is it all about<br />
stretching the dollar, or could it be that people are being more conscious<br />
about recycling? Are we making a statement against trendiness, which in fact<br />
has become a trend itself? We decided to find out.<br />
Making your way into Re De Find evokes an “Alice in Wonderland” response.<br />
Every crevice of this shop is a creative display of retro, repurposed,<br />
and reinvented items. To the left are racks of clothing and vintage hats. To the<br />
right, jewelry, handbags, belts, eye glasses, cowboy boots. Laura is perched<br />
at her counter which doubles as a showcase for her high-end jewelry pieces.<br />
She takes a phone call from her pink 1950s telephone.<br />
“Re De Find, this is Laura. Is it vintage? Yes, I’d love to see it. Oh I do it<br />
myself. Sure, I’ll take a look at it, gladly.”<br />
All the while, Laura is busy infusing creativity with everything she<br />
touches. Customers come in and if they are not already a friend of Laura’s,<br />
they quickly become one. Her energetic spirit is welcoming and people<br />
linger for quite some time, just taking it all in. In between customers, Laura<br />
shares thoughts about resale boutiques and her belief that what was once<br />
old is new again.<br />
Laura opened Re De Find in the summer of 2009 driven <strong>by</strong> a passion for<br />
fashion, antiques, vintage clothing and a love for recycling. A lifelong artist,<br />
Laura sees the value in helping others to reach their creative potential.<br />
She carries local artisans’ creations, including that of high school and college<br />
girls, who have showcased and sold their ideas at the shop.<br />
Ellen Quade, an art major at Iowa University, has made clever skirts and<br />
decorative pins from men’s silk ties. Megan Karande, a 2009 graduate from<br />
<strong>Barrington</strong> High School who is studying molecular biology at Princeton, enjoys<br />
sewing for Laura while she is home on break. Her Anthropologie-like<br />
skirts, made from aprons, pillowcases and tablecloths, can be found at Re De<br />
Find. Aimee Mazzenga, a freshman at Columbia College who studies photography,<br />
was hired to help with marketing.<br />
Laura feels it is her way of gathering kindred spirits. When asked why<br />
young women in particular are shopping the second hand racks, Laura<br />
Below: The scarves that make up this “skirt” at<br />
Re De Find are sold individually. The dress form was<br />
purchased from a sewing factory in Baltimore.<br />
This mannequin, named Hope, is one of seven mannequins<br />
belonging to Re De Find.
Sarah Dombek is a junior at<br />
<strong>Barrington</strong> High School who is<br />
planning to study anthropology<br />
at Cambridge.<br />
believes that fashion-savvy girls are seeking out a<br />
unique look. The idea of going to the mall and buying<br />
something off a rack where there are twenty of<br />
the same is no longer appealing. The more unique<br />
you look, the more interesting you become. One of<br />
Laura’s youngest customers, Sarah Dombek, grew up<br />
with an appreciation for beautifully crafted jewelry<br />
and couture.<br />
A junior at <strong>Barrington</strong> High School, Sarah shares<br />
stories about digging through her fashion-conscious<br />
grandmother’s jewelry boxes and playing dress up<br />
with the exquisite pieces. As a young adult, her interest<br />
in this vintage lives on. Sarah wore a custommade<br />
necklace belonging to her grandmother with<br />
her homecoming dress.<br />
“Imagine sticking your hand in a jewelry box<br />
loaded with necklaces, pulling out seven of them,<br />
all unique, and then twisting them into one – this is<br />
what it looked like,” Sarah said. “I wanted to dress differently.<br />
I stopped wearing pants,” she added.<br />
Re De Find was waiting for her with open arms.<br />
Laura recalls the day Sarah came in and purchased<br />
a pair of men’s eyeglasses – a copper-framed pair<br />
from the 1950s that resembles a vintage Ray-Ban<br />
style. Discovered at an estate sale, they were buried<br />
amongst office supplies in the drawer of an old<br />
writing desk. She has successfully combined vintage,<br />
vogue, and her prescription. “I love the history behind<br />
them and to think that a man wore these so<br />
long ago,” she said.<br />
Who doesn’t love a bargain?<br />
According to American Research Group, 12 to 15<br />
percent of Americans of all economic levels are<br />
spending their money at the 30,000 resale, consignment,<br />
and thrift shops in the United States. “The<br />
slumping economy may draw people in, but once<br />
they visit a resale shop for the first time, they are<br />
pleasantly surprised at the high quality of merchandise<br />
and are forever hooked on a new way of smart<br />
spending,” said Kitty Boyce, president of the Association<br />
of Resale Professionals.<br />
As we progress from a disposable to a recycling<br />
society, people feel more comfortable consigning,<br />
selling or donating unused items rather than tossing<br />
them in the trash. Parents can buy their growing children clothing – a<br />
homecoming dress, suits for the workplace, and even high-end designer<br />
items for a fraction of the retail price – giving them more money to put<br />
toward vacations, college education, and retirement accounts.<br />
Sandy Conrad, co-owner of Double Exposure Elite Resale, has been<br />
in business for five years. Specializing in women’s designer labels, she<br />
has a built following of both consigners and shoppers. Double Exposure’s<br />
6,000-item inventory is run like a clock. Paula Conrad, co-owner<br />
and sister-in-law of Sandy, sits at the computer behind the counter and<br />
handles accounting. They have four employees that photograph items<br />
and plac them on eBay, sorting through, documenting and ticketing<br />
new arrivals. Sandy determines which items will be brought in to their<br />
inventory. Market research tools are used to determine an item’s value.<br />
The consigner’s privacy is maintained <strong>by</strong> using initials when identifying<br />
them in conversation.<br />
Use of the Internet gives consigners a global marketplace. A Moda<br />
in Pelle Firenza pink leather coat is shipped to Sweden, and a blouse<br />
is packed for a customer in France. Sandy’s schedule for the next day<br />
includes a stop at Louis Vuitton to authenticate some hand bags, a visit<br />
with a regular consigner on Chicago’s North Shore, and a pickup of couture<br />
arriving from New York.<br />
Kellie Mullany is in<br />
seventh grade at<br />
Prairie Middle School.<br />
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Just how sweet of a deal?<br />
We decided to test the market and find out how far a one hundred dollar bill can be stretched<br />
if used solely for the purchase of secondhand clothes and accessories. It wasn’t hard to find<br />
three young ladies that were up for the challenge.<br />
Caroline Donahue, 21, is the shopping guru and bargain hunter of the trio. A college<br />
student on a budget, Caroline manages to stay fashionable without spending a fortune. At 17,<br />
Sarah Dombeck has made vintage look vogue in the halls of <strong>Barrington</strong> High School. And<br />
13-year-old Kellie Mullany, a seventh-grader at Prairie Middle School, is our most fastidious<br />
shopper. Tired of the mall, she is eager to shop the resale stores for the first time. So we gave<br />
each girl one hundred dollars and sent them to five resale shops in walking distance of the<br />
heart of downtown <strong>Barrington</strong>. Here are their found treasures:<br />
For Caroline:<br />
❣ 50s lace ba<strong>by</strong> doll top Re De Find $40<br />
❣ Urban floral scarf Catchpenny $3<br />
❣ Gold/pearl clip earrings Catchpenny $3<br />
❣ Steve Madden gray heels Kool Beans $7<br />
❣ BCBG black jeweled flats Double Exposure $24<br />
❣ Tulle embellished tank Double Exposure $12<br />
❣ 70s sunglasses Re De Find $11<br />
For Sarah:<br />
✿ Late 40s organza dress Re De Find $35<br />
✿ Sperry-like boat shoes Catchpenny $3<br />
✿ Vintage-inspired French flair skirt Catchpenny $4<br />
✿ Silk floral scarf House of Hope $2<br />
✿ 50s inspired Francesca’s skirt Kool Beans $4<br />
✿ Summer smock top Kool Beans $7<br />
✿ Neiman Marcus Italian Double Exposure $45<br />
leather oxfords<br />
Resale, consignment, and thrift<br />
What’s the difference between resale, consignment and<br />
thrift shopping? Resale stores buy merchandise outright<br />
from individual owners. A consignment or thrift shop can<br />
also be called a resale shop, but only a store that consigns<br />
their inventory can be called a consignment store. Only a<br />
store run <strong>by</strong> a not-for-profit organization is considered a<br />
thrift, which has an objective to raise money to fund their<br />
charitable causes.<br />
Thrifts range from the large Salvation Army and Goodwill<br />
chains to individual school, church, or hospital thrift<br />
shops. Not-for-profits can obtain goods through donations,<br />
or can operate on a consignment basis; some do both. A<br />
consignment shop accepts merchandise on a consignment<br />
basis, paying the owners of the merchandise a percentage<br />
when and if the items are sold.<br />
On the next pages, local resale and consignment shop<br />
owners and managers talk about what they carry, and the<br />
types of shoppers they attract.<br />
Caroline Donahue looks over the<br />
shoes at Double Exposure. She is taking<br />
business classes at Harper College and<br />
also pursuing a modeling career.<br />
For Kellie:<br />
✤ Vintage locket bracelet Re De Find $15<br />
✤ Buckle embellished hand bag House of Hope $3<br />
✤ Free People cargo pants Kool Beans $40<br />
✤ Hollister ribbed tank Kool Beans $3<br />
✤ Blush crocheted tank with bow Double Exposure $20<br />
✤ Bubblegum pearl necklace Double Exposure $10<br />
✤ Cut glass beaded sterling bracelet Re De Find $5<br />
<strong>Julie</strong> Linnekin<br />
is the managing<br />
editor of<br />
<strong>Quintessential</strong><br />
<strong>Barrington</strong><br />
Q<strong>Barrington</strong>.com | <strong>Quintessential</strong> <strong>Barrington</strong> • 123
Owner: Laura Knecht<br />
Address: 115 East Station Street<br />
Phone: 847-842-0123<br />
Years in business: 2<br />
Website: vintageredefind.com<br />
Re De Find is an art studio and boutique brimming with<br />
treasures. We offer handmade, vintage, and repurposed<br />
apparel, accessories and art with the focus on green living.<br />
Who shops here?<br />
Our offerings appeal to kids, young adults and even<br />
grandmothers who have a true appreciation for creativity,<br />
quality and a touch of chaos.<br />
Laura Knecht<br />
Can you share something interesting about your store?<br />
The shop has caught the attention of one of <strong>Barrington</strong>’s<br />
creative natives. Cynthia Rowley, a 1976 graduate of <strong>Barrington</strong><br />
High School, makes a stop at Re-De-Find whenever<br />
she is in town. She has said: “Laura, you have the best<br />
edited vintage shop I have ever been in.” Cynthia lives in<br />
New York City, where there is a plethora of vintage stores<br />
to inspire her fashion lines, but has found much inspiration<br />
at 115 East Station here in <strong>Barrington</strong>.<br />
What item best defines your store?<br />
Victorian shoe-buckle cuff bracelets. A quick glance at<br />
your wrist, and it takes you back to the days of Jane<br />
Austin.<br />
What is your mission statement or motto?<br />
Our mission is to always realize the importance of recycling,<br />
reinventing and repurposing goods that have already<br />
been created. “The Sound of Music” had the right idea <strong>by</strong><br />
making clothing out of curtains! We insist on keeping the<br />
piece green.<br />
Hours of operation:<br />
We have European hours, so if the lights are on, and the<br />
mannequins are greeting you, come on in! We also offer<br />
private appointments.<br />
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Sandy Conrad (Left)<br />
and Teri Steichen<br />
Owners: Sandy Conrad and Paula Conrad (Sisters-in-law)<br />
Address: 706 S. Northwest Highway<br />
Phone: 847-756-4282<br />
Years in business: 5<br />
Website: doubleexposureresale.com<br />
We are a high-end women’s consignment retail boutique featuring fabulous designer labels at<br />
a fraction of their retail prices. Our ever-changing inventory of casual to couture and contemporary<br />
to traditional styles provides a unique shopping experience for the discerning shopper.<br />
Who shops here?<br />
Savvy women of all ages who are searching for high-end designer brands at great prices.<br />
Nikki Hilton was seen at a benefit in Los Angeles wearing a Chanel couture black silk dress<br />
sold <strong>by</strong> Double Exposure.<br />
Can you share something interesting about your store?<br />
Our clothing has been worn <strong>by</strong> celebrities on the red carpet and at President Obama’s<br />
Inaugural Gala.<br />
What item best defines your store?<br />
Manolo Blahnik black silk and crystal rhinestone jeweled strappy evening sandals,<br />
originally $530, selling at Double Exposure for $179.<br />
What is your mission statement or motto?<br />
Women’s Luxury for Less.<br />
Hours of operation<br />
Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.<br />
Q<strong>Barrington</strong>.com | <strong>Quintessential</strong> <strong>Barrington</strong> • 125
Owners: <strong>Julie</strong> and Robert Haller<br />
Address:<br />
200 N. Hough Street at Market Center Shops<br />
Phone: (847) 842-4691<br />
Years in business: Less than a year<br />
<strong>Julie</strong> and robert Haller<br />
Kool Beans carries trendy clothing and accessories for<br />
girls and guys, from teens through adults. Our items are<br />
either gently used, recycled or brand new. You’ll find<br />
name brands like Converse, True Religion, Levis, and<br />
Abercrombie & Fitch.<br />
Who shops here?<br />
Anyone who wants to keep up with the current trends<br />
without breaking the bank.<br />
Can you share something interesting about your store?<br />
Every item is carefully hand-selected <strong>by</strong> our team for our<br />
valued customers. We buy items from our community,<br />
wholesalers, and retail closeouts.<br />
What item best defines your store?<br />
A charcoal colored Michael Kors coat with a fur rimmed<br />
hood, only $29.99.<br />
What is your mission statement or motto?<br />
We outfit those who like to stand out in a crowd, and<br />
those just wanting to fit in.<br />
Hours of operation:<br />
Tuesday- Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.<br />
126 • <strong>Quintessential</strong> <strong>Barrington</strong> | Q<strong>Barrington</strong>.com
Caryn Habley and<br />
Peggy Sobolewski<br />
Operator: St. Anne’s Project Hope Ministry<br />
Address: 200 N. Hough Street,<br />
Market Center Shops<br />
Phone: 847-756-4673<br />
Website: hohresale.org<br />
Email: hoperesale@gmail.com<br />
Years in Operation: 10<br />
House of Hope is a full service, non-for-profit resale store<br />
providing year-round funding for the mission of Saint Anne’s<br />
Project Hope: to provide emergency assistance to area families<br />
in crisis. Through the generosity of our donors and the<br />
talented efforts of our all-volunteer team of adults and teens,<br />
House of Hope has grown into the largest resale shop of its<br />
kind in the area. House of Hope resale offers a wide assortment<br />
of items from furniture and household goods to clothing<br />
and accessories. All proceeds from House of Hope are<br />
reinvested in our community. All donations made to House of<br />
Hope are tax deductible and a receipt is provided. Items not<br />
sold through our resale are passed forward to other charities.<br />
Our Motto:<br />
Every effort makes a difference; every kindness builds hope.<br />
Our Customers:<br />
House of Hope Resale serves a large and diverse customer<br />
base including savvy bargain hunters, trendy fashionistas,<br />
budget-minded families, art dealers and collectors, resale<br />
hob<strong>by</strong>ists and those looking for one-of-a-kind treasures.<br />
Brides-to-be will find sample bridal gowns originally priced<br />
in the thousands selling for just $50 each. Prom dresses are<br />
here as well, starting at $15.<br />
Special Events and Offers:<br />
In addition to our low everyday pricing, House of Hope offers<br />
weekly features and monthly clearance sales. Guests are<br />
encouraged to join our mail or email list and visit our website<br />
for more details on upcoming events and sales. There are<br />
always great deals to be found and every purchase helps local<br />
families in crisis – this is guilt-free shopping at its best.<br />
Hours of Operation:<br />
Wednesday – Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.<br />
Q<strong>Barrington</strong>.com | <strong>Quintessential</strong> <strong>Barrington</strong> • 127
Operator: Auxiliary of Advocate<br />
Good Shepherd Hospital<br />
Address: 118 E. Main Street<br />
Phone: 847-381-7721<br />
Email: auxilian@earthlink.net<br />
Years in Operation: 40<br />
From its humble beginnings in a store front on Park<br />
Street to its present location on Main, Catchpenny has<br />
held a unique place within the auxiliary and within the<br />
Village of <strong>Barrington</strong>. Thanks to its regular donors and<br />
faithful customers, Catchpenny serves a triple purpose<br />
– all of them good. Not only is it the largest money<br />
maker for the hospital auxiliary, but the shop serves the<br />
community as a source of gently used items for those in<br />
need, as well as those who enjoy a good bargain. Donors<br />
receive an income tax receipt for their contributions.<br />
Our Motto:<br />
Auxiliary: Partnership, Philanthropy and Pride<br />
Inderjit (“Indy”) Sodhi<br />
Our Customers:<br />
Our regular customers come from all over the Chicago<br />
area. Some of them are your next door neighbors.<br />
Sometimes it’s the young clothing designers that benefit<br />
from Catchpenny. They may find a button-down shirt<br />
for six dollars, but the buttons made of mother of pearl<br />
alone are worth much more. As a high school student<br />
here in <strong>Barrington</strong>, clothing designer Cynthia Rowley<br />
would pick up items here and use bits and pieces of<br />
them to make her own creations.<br />
Special Events and Offers:<br />
Three times a year we have an open house where we<br />
feature our new merchandise. In between we rotate our<br />
inventory with Two Dollar Bag Days; these are dates our<br />
regulars never miss.<br />
Important to Know:<br />
The Catchpenny is entirely operated <strong>by</strong> volunteers. We<br />
have never even had a paid manager. This allows our<br />
entire income to be contributed to the auxiliary. We<br />
continue to render to those in need, so that they may<br />
purchase for pennies on the dollar. New volunteers are<br />
welcome to join Catchpenny for a rewarding venture.<br />
Hours of Operation:<br />
Tuesday – Friday, 10 a.m.-4p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m<br />
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