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Move over, Milwaukee Avenue - ‘Recessionistas’ find cheap chic on Oak Park Avenue The high school girl found a dozen chunky bracelets ($2.75 total) to highlight her new hair color. Her friend found a navy sports coat ($3) to wear with jeans and insists this means he is dressed up. The career girl in her first job found pink leather Mary Janes ($5) and navy silk open-toe pumps ($6) that paired perfectly with two outfits. Two college students found a sofa ($75) and coffee table ($40) for their new off-campus apartment, and a photographer found a suitcase on wheels ($15) to haul his gear when on assignment. The seamstress picked through wedding gowns and found one with beautiful beadwork ($10) that she could use for another project. In popular resale shops in urban Chicago neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, the West Loop or Bucktown, these scenes are played out daily. But in Tinley Park? As retail is cooling, resale is getting hot and not just in the urban hipster neighborhoods. Some of the hottest resale spots are the “undiscovered” territory of the suburbs – like The Sensible Shoppe in Tinley Park. Budget conscious twenty-somethings long have been fans of resale because of cost and environmental savings, but there is stiff competition about where to find the best stuff. Mike Wolk of Chicago’s Logan Square says that he loves to come to the suburban resale shops because it is “uncharted territory.” “I buy almost everything from resale and thrift stores, but in the city everybody knows who gets the best stuff or when they change their displays. In the suburbs resale hasn’t caught on as much, and I find stuff no one else knows about and labels that would sell for a lot more just a few miles away. And it’s great when someone wants to know where I got something. I give them directions that include the train.” While many resale shoppers are looking for standard wardrobe items like jeans and sweaters, some are hunting for that signature piece from times gone by. Old costume jewelry, beaded and feathered sweaters or purses, and men’s fedora hats once outdated now are considered retro or vintage. Because The Sensible Shoppe is stocked with donated goods -- some brand new with their original store price tags and others gently used – the inventory changes daily. Smart customers pop in at least once a week to see what’s up. But be careful, word has spread to the cool kids. Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites           |
