HEWITT Three years ago, on June 25, 2009, Ashlee's Consignment Boutique opened on Greenwood Lake Turnpike. Here, families may purchase slightly used clothing, from formal wear to work clothes to jeans and accessories.
This year, Ashlee's is celebrating its third anniversary throughout the month of June with customers and consignors getting 30 percent off any item. There are some exclusions.
Kathleen Ashe Babcock opened Ashlee's Consignment Boutique to provide a vital service of recycling and conserving resources, all in an organized, beautiful shopping environment. Just one look inside her store and you will see exactly what she means. Ashlee's is meticulously organized, with rows and rows of sweaters, slacks, skirts, dresses, shirts, jackets, jeans, purses, shoes and everything else you can wear. Professional organizer Babcock, who lives just over the border in Greenwood Lake, N.Y., has definitely brought her skill set to her business.
"Organizing was my strength, she said. So, that's what she brings to her clients. She goes into peoples houses and helps them organize their things and therefore their lives. That's when she got the idea for the consignment shop. When customers asked where can I bring my items, I ran out of great ideas, Babcock said. So she came up with a new one: a consignment store.
Ashlee's Consignment Boutique caters to the entire family. There are clothes for kids of all ages, men and women. And the prices are just a fraction of what you would spend in the fancy mall stores, at least 50 percent less than the original prices. And that's for clothing with the pricetags still on. Gently used clothes are sold for up to 70 percent less than originally priced.
Consignment shops are great for everyday clothes. With vacation time coming up, why not stop by and see what great summer stuff is in stock? And if you have a formal occasion to attend and know you'll only wear the dress once or twice, why not check out Ashlee's first?
This summer, Babcock is also extending the store's hours. During June, July and August, Ashlee's is open on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. That's in addition to the store's regular hours, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Stop by and celebrate with Babcock. Then celebrate some more by getting a few bargains at Ashlee's.
Fore more information, call 973-506-7300.
Ashlee's Consignment Boutique is located at 1935 Union Valley Road in Hewitt.
Want to be a consignor? New consignors sign an agreement with Babcock before selling their merchandise. They pay a $10 registration fee for the year and can bring 15 items in every two weeks. After researching things on eBay and other online sites, Babcock prices the items. Most things are priced at 30 to 45 percent of the original price; new items with tags start at half price.