Consignment Store is Treasure Trove of Home Décor Items and More

“This place is the best thing since ice cream,” said Cheryl Avitts of Fenton.

“No, it’s almost as good as the wheel,” said Avitts’ friend and Fenton neighbor, Mary Benham.

Both women called themselves “regulars” at , which on Wednesday, Feb. 23, celebrated its fifth anniversary.

Owner Donna Hitz said, “I’ve always been a ‘stuff’ magnet,” when asked why she chose the consignment business. For quite a few years, she said she worked with friends cleaning out the estates of elderly folks, after their deaths. One of those friends owned a mobile home community, where many of these elderly people had lived.

The families, many of whom had busy lives with jobs and families of their own took what they believed to be valuables from their parents or grandparents homes and left the rest, according to Hitz.

“I have more of other people’s genealogy than I have of my own,” she said of records, photographs, and other items left behind by families.

In her spare time, Hitz said she takes pleasure in finding the families and returning items she believes they might want to have after all and made some new friends in the process.

For many years, Hitz said she sold items on eBay. She opened her first store in Holly, at Grange Hall and Fish Lake roads. A short time later, she decided to move her business to Fenton, occupying a building directly across the street from her current store in the shopping plaza on Silver Lake Road at Poplar Street, next to hair and nail studio and . She moved into the current store two years ago, again on Feb. 23. About a year ago she changed the name of the store from Garage Sale 360 & Hitz Consignments to ReSale 360.

Although the consignment store is growing by leaps and bounds, Hitz said she has no plans to expand to a larger facility. Looking around the store, Hitz said, “This store is half as full right now as it will be in six weeks.”

Hitz said the season is coming where people do their spring cleaning. “And a lot of people don’t want to bring big items in when there’s snow,” she said.

Today, ReSale 360 employs 12 people, including one with a degree in art and another with an interior design degree. Her husband, Tom, is co-owner, and handles the free pick up and deliveries.

ReSale 360 carries a vast collection of home décor items, furniture, artwork and housewares. They also carry jewelry of every description and ladies’ handbags.

Consignors split the proceeds from sales 50/50 with the store, unless the owner has designated that all monies made go toward a certain charity or fundraising effort. In that case, it’s 60/40, with the additional 10 percent going to the charity or fundraiser.

“We’ve sent money to St. Alyousios in Detroit,” Hitz said. “Catholic Charities in Flint is another big one.”

Hitz, who has a daughter at , knows first-hand how expensive it is to be involved in sports and how much money the schools need.

“I can do fundraisers for school sports, for example,” she said. “It’s not something I’ve advertised much so far, but we want to help whenever we can.”

Groups interested in the fundraising program must go to the store for instructions, one of which is to open an account.

Of the items she accepts, Hitz admits to being somewhat particular. If potential consignors bring something that is in disrepair and not of good quality, she is not afraid to decline.

Hitz said once items are accepted, she and her employees do some research in order to price it appropriately. Additional factors taken into consideration when pricing are age, the original price of the item, and the current state of the economy.

“Shoppers are smart and pretty savvy,” said Hitz. “We want to get the best price we can for our consignors. We are very service-oriented and try to do a lot for our consignors and customers.

“We give people a reason to come into our store.”

As far as Avitts and Benham, they said. “We come here as often as we can.”

In fact, the two women will be celebrating their March birthdays at the store – perhaps with some ice cream.

For more information, call (810) 629-5622, or visit the website .www.resale360.biz