By Russ Wiles | Arizona Republic
When Ann Siner opened her first store 30 years ago, she recalls that a lot of people didn’t want to admit that they shopped second-hand.
The perception of resale outlets was that of tired, dusty stores piled high with all sorts of bric-a-brac — the types of enterprises relegated to dingy strip malls or bleak storefronts.”
Even five years ago, Biltmore Fashion Park probably wouldn’t have had anything to do with us,” she said.It does now.
My Sister’s Closet, part of the consignment chain Siner owns with her sister Tess Loo, in July opened a store at Biltmore Fashion Park, the company’s swankiest Arizona location yet. It’s a telling indication that resale — consignment in particular — is going both mainstream and upstream.
Consignment stores are gaining more visibility, and this segment is growing faster than the retail industry overall, according to some studies. Consignment operators are becoming more selective about the belongings they agree to sell on behalf of others, and they often arrange their wares with an eye on ambience and design.
