The University Daily Kansan
Thursday, April 12, 2001
Etc
Section B • Page 3
Old clothes can make, save cash
Lawrence stores allow students to trade in duds
By Nicole Roché
jayplay@kansan.com
lavalov writer
Students ready to do some spring cleaning in their closets — as well as purchase new threads for the warmer weather — have plenty of options to make and save money at several resale clothing shops downtown.
Lane, co-owner of Sugartown Traders, 918 Massachusetts St., said that in a buy-sell-trade business, she could only buy from a customer what the store could later sell.
"We don't buy the pullovers or tapered pants anymore because they just don't sell," she said.
What does sell, she said, are jeans and flowy dresses.
Sugartown, one of several resale clothing stores in Lawrence, has been open for four years. The shops put cash in students' pockets in exchange for their old clothes - as long as the clothes fit the store's tastes and needs.
"My partner and I decided that we could bring another option for a buy-sell-trade store to this town," Lane said.
The store buys seasonally, so she encourages customers to bring in spring and summer clothing.
"Also, jeans are the kind of thing we buy year round." she said.
Employees have to follow specific guidelines when deciding whether to buy something from a customer.
"The first thing we do is check the condition of the clothing," Lane said. "If there are any stains or holes we will usually pass."
She also checks for broken zippers and missing buttons. If anything is too faded or has shrunk too much, she will not buy it.
Christina Guerin, employee at Arizona Trading Co., 734 Massachusetts St., said that she thought resale clothing stores had become popular by word of mouth.
"It's a pretty good deal rather than just throwing your clothing away," she said.
Guerin also said their popularity surged because vintage clothing had become more mainstreamed.
"Maybe people are just sick of spending so much money on clothes," she said.
Anne Youngquist, Woodbury, Minn. sophomore, said she bought vintage clothing for its style and affordable prices.
"I think the most expensive thing I've bought was a jacket for $8." she said. "My favorite dress is this yellow flowery one I got for $7 at Arizona Traders. If you get vintage clothes, they're always unique."
Guerin said Arizona Trading Co. also offered customers the option to keep their trade on file, giving them in-store credit to cash in during a later shopping trip.
"If the customer doesn't want to use their trade right away, they can use it anytime they want, even at our other store in Kansas City." Guerin said. "It never expires."
Flush, 13 E. Seventh St., is a resale clothing shop that opened its doors last Saturday.
Jessica Gomez, manager, said the owner of Java Break, 17 E. Seventh St., had the open space available and decided to put in the clothing store.
"I think he could see how popular these places were." Gomez said.
She said shoppers could purchase some high-quality clothing items for much less then they would pay in department stores especially considering that people brought in never-worn clothing, often with the tags still attached.
With so many resale clothing stores in downtown Lawrence, Kimberly David and her husband Chelan decided to open their store at a more centralized location.
Threads 'N' Tunes, 1410 Kasold Dr., which opened in August 2000, offers another option for its customers — music.
"We think that fashion and music really go together, and they usually influence each other." Kimberly David said. "Couples will come into the store, and the girls will head for the clothes, and the guys will go straight for the music."
Youngquist said she had not tried to sell her own clothes at a resale clothing store, but that might change in the future.
"Now that I know how much money you can actually get for them, I will definitely be heading back over there."
Edited by Melissa Cooley
Here's what Shelly Lane of Sugartown Traders, 918 Massachusetts St., had to say about this outfit brought in by the Kansan:
**Shirt:** She would purchase the shirt despite a slight flaw (one of the jewels on the bottom is broken). She would still probably buy the shirt, but for less — about $6.
(Editor's note: The shirt was from L.C. Browne.)
(Editor's note: The shirt was a J.C. Penney's clearance item and cost $2 new.)
■ Belt The belt is made by Calvin Klein, and brand names are the biggest sellers. Sugartown would buy the belt for $9.50, approximately 1/3 of the retail selling price.
**Bell bottoms:** The jeans, in good condition, would go for about $17.50. Quality name brand bell bottoms such as Donna Kara could go for as much as $28.50 to $38.50.
■ Black sandals: Although the outsides of the shoes are in good condition, sandals — worn without socks — are not as appealing to future buyers, especially if toe imprints are visible. Lane said she would most likely pass on them because of the wear and tear.
Total: $33
Rosario Dawson, Tara Reid and Rachel Leigh Cook star in *Josie and the Pussycats*. The movie is playing at South Wind 12 Theaters, 3433 Iowa St. Stributed art
Josie full of logos exploits teen market
By Ryan Dolan
by Ryan Dolan joypay@kansan.com Kansan movie critic
You know the old joke.
A waitress comes up to a new customer to take his order.
"What's the soup de jour?" the customer asks.
"It's the soup of the day," she answers.
Joise and the Pussycats, the new movie written and directed by Harry Elfant and Deborah Kaplan, extrapolates on that joke in the film's first 15 minutes. It's a hilarious bit that becomes tedious by the time the three Pussycats finally hit the screen.
Label rep, Wyatt Frame (Alan Cumming), song the fledgling gerrl rock trio, the Pussycats, with lead singer Josie McCoy (Rachel Leigh Cook), bass player Val (Rosario Dawson), and airhead drummer Melody(Tara Reid).
The fact that Wyatt hasn't heard them play a note and they play to apathetic bowling alleys doesn't matter. Megarecords CEO, Fiona, played by an uninspired Parker Posey, plans the typical marketing blitz that will force-feed them to millions of teens and pre-teens.
Elfant and Kaplan satirize the corporate exploitation of all things
MOVIE SHOWINGS
Josie and the Pussycats plays at 4:30 p.m.; 7:10 p.m. and 9:40 p.m. today at the South Wind 12 Theatres, 3434 Iowa St.
"cool." They plaster corporate logos and products on practically every set.
Point taken, but after seeing the Target logo for the 10 zillion time, you feel a little queasy in your stomach.
As for the three main actresses, Cook is at her best when she's bitchy instead of the wide-eyed nymph character she continues from *She's All That*. Dawson has grown up a lot since her debut in *Kids*. Her mature figure, as compared to her two starving co-stars, is a welcome sight.
Reid, well-known from American Pie, is the biggest disappointment. She's supposed to be the ditzy, optimistic blonde. She brings no comedic talent, especially physically, to the clumsy fun that it's supposed to be Melody.
Bottom line: Josie and the Pussycats is the new That Thing You Do, with less soul and more pizzazz. That should be more than enough to clean up at the box office.
Edited by Brandy Straw
Red Lyon Tavern
Red Lyon Tavern
A touch of Irish in downtown Lawrence
944 Mass. 832-8228
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