In the Beginning

In October 2003, Mendy Adams and Elizabeth Renfroe watched people walk away from their yard sale with children’s clothes they were practically giving away – boutique items worth much more than prices on the stickers. Knowing there had to be a better way; they began to wonder why there wasn’t a consignment sale in Jacksonville. Then they decided to do something about it.


Today, that idea has grown from a small Sunday school class project at Jacksonville First United Methodist Church into a sale involving consignors and shoppers from all over northeast Alabama and thousands of items for women and children. Children’s Market is a semi-annual consignment sale sponsored by the children’s ministry of the church. The sale includes just about everything that children, teens, and new or expectant parents can use.

Consignment sales have several benefits over traditional consignment shops. Sellers price their own items, following a general guideline of 1/4 - 1/3 of the retail price, and receive payment for their sales within days after the sale, unlike many consignment stores, where it can take longer to sell some items and receive payment. In this case, it's better for the sellers because they get 75-85 percent of their sales, compared to 50 percent or less at consignment shops. At this church’s sale, the other 15-25 percent of the profits goes to support the youth and children’s ministries for special activities, camp scholarships, and mission projects. Since its inception, thousands of dollars have supported children from Jacksonville and the surrounding area to daycares in Ecuador and other areas of the world.

The timing of the sale is convenient for many people. It gives them an opportunity to sell gently worn clothing and toys that are still in excellent shape, but no longer practical for their families. Many of them use that money to buy larger sizes of clothes for their children at the sale. “There have been some boutique dresses that were sold at the first sale and consigned the next year, when they were passed on for another little girl to enjoy,” according to Elizabeth Renfroe, who coordinates the 3 day event. For Stacey Johnson, Director of Children’s Ministries, the committee that plans the sale, and other church members who help, it’s also a chance to meet and minister to families in the community.

The main attraction for shoppers is the bargains, stocking up on items priced at a portion of the retail price. A glance around the Children’s Market storage area reveals why these sales have caught on: New $32 L’Amour Mary Janes in the original box slashed to $6; a Ziploc bag filled with 3 children’s hardback books for $1.00; a like-new boy’s Gymboree sleeper for $2.00; and Old Navy jeans with the tag still on them for $4.

Why the popularity? The burden of paying for diapers, formula, extra-curricular activities, and other child-related expenses can overwhelm even the most finance-savvy family. Parents have to find ways to save money. Shopping at consignment sales is a great way to stretch a clothing budget and consigning can extra income.

“Over the past 10 years I have bought and sold personal items at many consignment sales across Alabama,” says Michele Chandler of Piedmont, “By far, the Children’s Market Consignment Sale has been the most profitable to me, both in terms of buying and selling. Also, it is the most organized and energetic group I have worked with. And, it is a wonderful opportunity to help the ministry of the church."

The sale is a way for the church to give back to the community by offering families an opportunity to purchase much needed items and clothing for their children at bargain prices and providing a place to sell items and clothing no longer needed. Consignors have the opportunity to donate their items that do not sell to charity. Jacksonville Christian Outreach Center receives a majority of the donated items for the families they assist. Other items are given to Sav-a-Life, Second Chance, and the Center of Hope to support their ministries.

The opportunity to bring home some extra cash and help children and families in the area makes cleaning out the closets much more fun. The committee begins working about three months before the sale by updating sale information and their marketing plans. Because the sale benefits the children’s ministry, the decision was made long ago to only use the consignor fees for the administrative costs of the sale. Referrals, word of mouth, flyers, and community announcements are the main sources of advertising for the sale.

“We’ve learned a lot since the first sale, and everyone involved benefits from what we’ve learned. Each season, volunteers, consignors, and shoppers are asked for feedback on how to improve the sale. Whenever possible, these suggestions are incorporated into Children’s Market. These suggestions are what has made the sale a success." adds Elizabeth.

The sale begins first for volunteers, with another preview sale for consignors, first-time new and expecting parents/grandparents, and teachers. The public sale begins at 8 am on Wednesday and concludes at 11 am on Saturday. Consignors will pick up their unsold items beginning at 1:30 pm. From 3-4 pm on Saturday, the doors will be open for the $1.00 Sale, where shoppers line up to buy whatever is left for $1.00 an item.

If you’re interesting in dipping your toe in the consignment shopping pool, grab your shopping basket and mark your calendars to attend the Children’s Market Consignment Sale, Sept. 15 - 18, at Jacksonville First United Methodist Church, 109 Gayle Ave, SE. Please contact Elizabeth Renfroe at (256) 239-6033 for more information about the sale or visit the church website at www.jaxfumckids.org.