by Rachel PughCandice Farrell, co-owner of the Snack Shack on Route 309 in Wilkes-Barre, has been a busy business owner, wife and mom. But once her kids became old enough to be around the ice cream shop without running into employees, she felt she needed a little something to call her own, a project, an endeavor, a side business where she could use her business skills and her knowledge in retail. Welcome Pocketbooks, a consignment shop for high-end purses located directly next to the ever popular Snack Shack by the big cow on Route 309.
Connected to the Snack Shack building lies the cute-as-a-button consignment shop which officially opens Wednesday, April 1. Currently stocked with Vera Bradley bags and handmade jewelry by Chris Fazzi of Bloomsburg, this little gem is going to have purse-aholics smitten with designer love for many bags will sell for 50 percent of the retail price. Before you storm her building while wildly waving your wallet, take a second and let this sink in. This store will only sell high-end bags such as Vera Bradley, Coach, Fendi, Anne Klein, Dooney & Burke, Luis Vuitton, etc. OK, go ahead. Get hysterical and rush over there. This is a reason to celebrate.
Candice’s terms are a 50/50 split between her and the consigner. For every consigner who refers a friend, whether for shopping or selling, that person will receive a $10 credit for the store or cash. But not just anyone can drop off a handbag at Pocketbooks. Candice is firm about certificates of authenticity and knockoffs will not be accepted, no exceptions. Desiring to keep her consignment shop of a certain caliber, she wants to make sure her customers’ expectations are met every time and this means guaranteeing authenticity. Taking someone’s word for it that a purse is real is simply unacceptable.
Candice has an organized system and has every Vera Bradley line ready to research at any given time. Since the company makes all lines accessible on its Web site, Candice can literally pull any design and match it against a purse. She keeps folders of all the designs’ catalogues and knows instantly what she should price the bag for if coming into her store pristine. For example, if in perfect condition, and the bag retails for $40, Pocketbooks will sell it for $20.
All bags will remain in Pocketbooks for 60 days. If it doesn’t sell, the consigner will then be responsible for picking up the bag. If the consigner doesn’t, it becomes Pocketbooks’ property.
Already Candice has been receiving phone calls with, “When you get this pattern, please call me.” And this has occurred before the store even opened. If you’re a designer bag person, you know your patterns. You know which season had which bag and the process of purse shopping can quickly turn into a collection. And if you enjoy collecting handbags, collecting them at lower prices is a win–win.
If you are interested in dropping off purses to sell in Pocketbooks, call Candice for an appointment at 570.239.5691. For shopping, stop by the store 1-6 p.m. daily. Pocketbooks can sell them for you or to you — you decide.
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