Sudbury now has a pawn shop for clothes
Jen's Closet gives cash on the spot for "gently used" clothing for men, women and special occasions
A clothing pawn shop is now officially open in Sudbury, marking a new wrinkle for the second-hand store scene in the city.
Jen's Closet offers cash on the spot for different items, including men's, women's and special occasion clothing.
The owner, Jennifer Giroux says the merchandise ultimately sells for 50 to 70 per cent of the original retail price, with 30 to 40 per cent of the profits shared directly with the people who initially owned the items.
"With inflation and all that, I truly believe Jen's Closet is what Sudbury needs," she said. "Not everybody can afford to go and buy a brand new pair of Lululemons for $119... but they can come here and buy it for 35$."
"I wanted to bring a thrift store in and have these clothes at the price that people can actually afford."
Giroux says the store is picky when it comes to buying the "gently used" items from people. It asks potential sellers to ensure the clothes have been washed and are free of rips, tears, stains or missing buttons.
"I have certified buyers who will pick and choose based on demand for different styles," she said.
The store is a long-held dream for Giroux, who worked as a personal support worker for more than 20 years and managed Kid's Closet before launching her own project.
"There was a lot of work to get this done, a lot of heartache and tears, but I'm going to rock this," she said.
"Somebody else's junk is always somebody else's treasure."