PHOENIX, Nov. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Amid the shifting waters of the retail industry, where many brick and mortar chains are sinking from the weight of online competitors, resale shops are floating peacefully on the sea of expansion.

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Retail giants such as Sears, J.C. Penney, Payless Shoes, Gymboree and more are closing as many as 5,000 stores nationwide. However, the National Association of Resale Professionals predicts 7 percent growth for resale stores in the coming year, a nearly unheard-of statistic in a retail industry plagued by bankruptcies and closures.

“Resale, especially kid resale, is here to stay despite what is happening in the rest of the retail market,” says Erica Gentile, owner of two Kid to Kid resale locations, one in Gilbert and one in Chandler. “Because no matter what the economy is, families are going to continue to have kids, and regardless of their financial status, families are always looking for ways to purchase kid items that are affordable.”

Wednesday, Nov. 15th marks the 25th anniversary of the first Kid to Kid store, which opened in 1992 in Sandy, Utah. The company now has more than 100 stores in the United States and Europe, including six in the Phoenix metro area. To celebrate the silver anniversary on the 15th, every store will be offering a 25 percent discount on purchases.

At the Kid to Kid store in Peoria, owners Deron and Michelle Luzar are incorporating the special discount as part of their annual pre-Black Friday sales event the week before Thanksgiving. Deron Luzar says the popularity and growth in the resale sector comes from several factors, including the healthy buying power of millennials – who will become the largest spending group in 2018 with an expected outgo of $3.39 trillion.

“Resale is very popular with millennials who really enjoy the idea of repurposing clothing and recycling. They also appreciate trendy clothes at a bargain and we offer great deals,” Luzar said. “You can get a $300 stroller for $120, for example.”

Luzar touches on another important element to resale shopping, and that is the environmental impact. More and more shoppers – and not just the millennials – are aware that selling their used clothing is a great way to keep it from landfills.

In North America, consumers are buying — and getting rid of — five times as much clothing as they did 25 years ago, reports Elizabeth Cline in her book Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion (Portfolio, 2013). A staggering 85 percent of apparel ends up in a landfill — that’s more than 10.5 million tons of clothing and equates to 80 pounds of clothing that ends up in a landfill from each man, woman, and child in the United States.

In contrast, Kid to Kid stores recycled more than 11 million items last year, passing on the clothing and toys to other families, who can stretch their dollars further by shopping resale. In a perfectly timed coincidence, Kid to Kid celebrates its anniversary right in the middle of National Recycling Awareness Week, which is Nov. 13-19.

The Luzars also own an Uptown Cheapskate location in Peoria. While Kid to Kid focuses on items for children and parents to be, Uptown Cheapskate sells trendy clothing and accessories. Both stores are part of the Utah-based Basecamp Franchising family.

Luzar noted that some of the more successful regular retail stores, such as Dollar General and Ross, also offer lower pricing. Both those retailers are listed among the Hot 14 by the National Retail Federation. Other retailer winners are big box stores and online business, which can offer competitive pricing due to their massive purchasing power. Amazon, Tractor Supply Co. and Dick’s Sporting Goods, for example, also are on the Hot 14 list.

“Everyone wants to save money,” Luzar observes. “The retail companies that are growing are all businesses that offer good value for money, like ours. But we have something they don’t, and that’s cash or credit for items customers bring in. That makes us unique in the resale industry.”

Both Uptown Cheapskate and Kid to Kid will pay for high-end, slightly used clothing and toys. If they can’t purchase the item due to condition or overstock, they will accept it for donation to community charities and provide the tax-deductible donation slip to the customer.

A final unique aspect to shopping at Kid to Kid and Uptown Cheapskate is that while retailers are limited to which brands they carry, Kid to Kid shops are not. Unique items from around the world can be found on their shelves, giving shoppers an opportunity to find amazing treasures unlike anything a large department store might offer.

ABOUT Kid to Kid and Uptown Cheapskate
Kid to Kid and Uptown Cheapskate stores are part of Basecamp Franchising, which was founded in 1992 and now has more than 100 stores in 17 states, including nine locations in the Phoenix metro area. The Kid to Kid franchises in the area: Ahwatukee, Chandler, Gilbert, Paradise Valley, Peoria, and Scottsdale. The Uptown Cheapskate locations are: Chandler, Peoria, and Scottsdale. Each store is independently owned and operated by local small business owners. The upscale nature of Kid to Kid and Uptown Cheapskate sets them apart from thrift stores because these stores only buy, sell, and trade current baby equipment, clothing and fashion seen at retail stores in the previous 18 to 24 months.

CONTACT: MEDIA CONTACT
Rose Tring
Phoenix PR & Marketing
[email protected]
602-373-8371