One fact that parents learn very quickly is that kids grow out of their clothes overnight - literally. It is hard to keep up with their growth spurts, and buying a new wardrobe every few months is not always possible for most families. The solution? Resale clothing shops for kids. There are several throughout the Bay Area that buy and sell used children's clothing, games, toys, and more. Here are a few of the more stocked stores to check out.
2666 Homestead Road
Santa Clara, CA 95051
408-244-2248
Hours: Mon-Fri (10 a.m. until 8 p.m.), Sat (10 a.m. until 7 p.m.), and Sun (11 a.m. until 6 p.m.)
Kid to Kid has everything from strollers to jackets to puzzles. Most of the items in the store are gently used and sell for way below retail. Don't expect garage sale-type prices, but you will definitely save a few bucks. You can also sell items to the store that your children have outgrown. They will appraise items on the spot from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. during the week. You can choose to receive cash or you can get 20 percent more in store credit. I have gone to the store a few times and gotten some good deals. I also had a few customer service issues, but that happens across the board in retail.
14454 Union Ave. (in the Cambrian Park Plaza)
San Jose, CA 95124
408-879-0989
Hours: Mon (11 a.m. until 5 p.m.), Tue-Fri (11 a.m. until 7 p.m.), Sat (10 a.m. until 6 p.m.), and Sun (closed)
This store offers so many items at a great deal. They also sell new items and offer free gift wrapping to customers. Another great feature of the store is a nursing room for mothers to feed their babies. I love that they rent out heavy winter coats. The Bay Area hardly gets cold enough to warrant buying thick coats, but a trip to Yosemite does. Renting the coats means you have them when you need them and don't have to worry about storing them during the summer.
Kidz Shoppe does buy used clothing, as well, but they do it on consignment. This means that they will only pay you when the item sells. You can get 40 percent for apparel and 50 percent for non-apparel items if you want to be paid in cash. You will get an additional 5 percent if you choose store credit. The nice thing about consignment is that it is tied to a percentage of the purchase price; this way you don't have to worry about being underpaid for an item.
540 S. Bascom Ave.
San Jose, CA 95128
408-998-1867
Hours: Mon-Sat (10 a.m. until 5 p.m.) and Sun (10 a.m. until 2 p.m.)
Ubyan is so full of merchandise that they are holding off on buying any more clothing for the next few months. They also seem to be having a lot of sales lately (probably to clear out some of their inventory), so you might be able to pick up some really great deals. One thing I like about this store is that they will do fundraiser nights for local schools, where they donate 15 percent of the profits from that night to the school.
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