By Bill Radford, The Gazette, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Mar. 31--A dismal economy may mean booming business at the Just Between Friends spring consignment sale this weekend.
The event at the Phil Long Expo Center involves more than 250 consignors with maternity and children's items for sale, including clothing up to junior sizes, toys, strollers and baby furniture. "I know a lot of people are really excited about it," said Carrie Isaac, who writes the "SpringsBargains" blog at www.springsbargains.com. "I think it's probably going to be a pretty big deal this year as a lot of people who normally buy their kids' items new are trying to cut expenses in any way they can."
Lynn Jennings and Melissa Meifert own the local Just Between Friends franchise and run the twice-a-year sales. Judging from increased business at other JBF sales held this year across the country, the two expect intense interest this year -- both from consignors cleaning out closets and toy chests to make some money and from buyers looking to stretch a dollar.
Here's how it works: Consignors prepare their items, including setting prices, then drop them off before the sale. Just Between Friends handles the marketing, staffing and setup of the sale. Consignors receive 65 percent of the proceeds from their sold items -- and also get to shop before the public.
Just Between Friends began as a "living room sale" in Tulsa, Okla., in 1997 and has grown to 77 franchises in 19 states, with a combined $6.8 million in gross sales last year.
Jennings used to live in Tulsa and was a shopper and a consignor at the sales there.
When she moved to Colorado Springs in early 2007, she was eager to start a franchise here. "I just thought we could really use something like this out here," she said. So she teamed up with Meifert, a longtime friend who had come to the Springs from California two years earlier.
"She was the only one I knew out here and we had been friends for so long that I just thought we might make a good partnership," Jennings said. "And we did."
Their first sale was in spring 2007. Each sale requires about two months of "heavy, intensive work" for the two stay-at-home moms, Meifert said -- tasks such as working with consignors, answering all their questions, booking the venue and marketing. The Just Between Friends Web site calls it "a part-time job that can be grown to provide a full-time income." But with an initial franchise fee then of about $9,000 -- the fee for new franchisees now is $10,500 -- along with the cost of renting the location and other expenses such as buying sales racks, the operation is not yet a moneymaker for Jennings and Meifert; money they do make, Jennings said, is plowed into the next sale.
But, she said, "it's a lot of fun for us. We know that eventually it will be a good income for our families."
Meanwhile, they see themselves as performing a service for their fellow moms.
"Some say their consignor check has paid half their mortgage payment for a month," Meifert said. "Other people have told us they had to cancel vacations but then could go because they made enough money at the sale. It's doing a lot of good things for them."
SPRING SALE
LOCATION: Phil Long Expo Center. 1515 Auto Mall Loop
HOURS: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday; $2 admission. 9 a.m-3 p.m. Saturday, no cost to attend; many items half-price.
CHARITY PARTNER: Donations welcomed for Airman's Attic, which helps military and their families.
MORE INFORMATION: www.coloradosprings.jbfsale.com
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