Guest blogger: Boston Fashionista shares her favorite local shop

I asked some of my blog friends what local shop they like.  Kristen from BostonFashionista shared that she loves Second Time Around.  Here’s what she has to say about it:

I casually comb through the racks of clothes, warm tea steaming from the cup in my hand. Suddenly, a teal silk top peeks out from behind the other shirts on the rack.  I run my hands over the blouse, noting its construction, brand name, and its extremely reasonable price.  And! It’s on sale!  After some more browsing, I make my way to the counter, where a smiling woman in a striking scarf says, “Let me see if you have any store credit”. I do. I walk out with the top, having paid $3.00; the price I might have paid for the complimentary tea I was served while shopping.

Such was my experience recently at Second Time Around in Harvard Square. I frequent several STA locations, mainly Harvard Square, Charles Street in Beacon Hill and their (several!) Newbury Street locations – the diversity in the assortment of clothing, shoes and accessories available is always striking. To put it simply, this is not your mother’s consignment store…but she could probably find something here she likes! As a consignor, on any given day you could take your items to different STA locations and different garments would be selected to go on the floor. As a shopper, one quickly realizes that each neighborhood and shop has it’s own personality. “The women who manage the stores are buyers for the company”, says Jeanne Nicholson, Marketing Director for Second Time Around, “We depend on them to understand and build upon the vibe of the neighborhood”.

Even with a number of consignment shops in the area, STA has managed to grow to over 50,000 consignors and locations in ten states and the District of Columbia. While the chain does not engage in much formal advertising and has a small, opt-in, email and social media strategy, they spend plenty of time and research to pinpoint the best locations for their shops. Taking into account foot traffic, neighborhood personalities, accessibility to transportation and visibility, shops are situated in areas and designed in ways that will bring customers in, because once they come in, STA feels they will be back for more. Each shop runs special events, like the High Tea at the Harvard Square location (when I found my fabulous blouse!) to a Sock-Hop at the Charles Street store, which give the customers a chance to peruse new merchandise, and provide the store managers with alternative opportunities to scope out the neighborhood ambiance and atmosphere.

Now the queen of consigning in the North East, Second Time Around is launching into the brand-new market with a collection of cotton knitwear and jewelry, curated by the company’s Director of Styling, Marissa Meloski. The knit-wear line, named “Back to Basics”, includes camisoles, ribbed racer‐back tank tops, long and short sleeve V-neck and crew neck tees and leggings, ranging in price from $8-$12. The jewelry collection will be seasonally selected to stay on trend, and currently consists of cord bracelets, Mad Men-inspired jewel earrings and chain link necklaces, ranging in price from $6-$50. “The Back to Basics clothing and jewelry line will allow our shoppers and consigners to create a complete look using new, consigned and designer products that we carry in Second Time Around stores,” explains Meloski.

When you are looking for a little something new, or new to you, Second Time Around can offer unique pieces not found in other stores.