Within three weeks of opening up Bargain Basket, 9 Commercial St., Sandy Short’s business inventory tripled and it’s been steady ever since.
Short opened Bargain Basket this past summer, and the business boom surprised her. She wanted to change professions and decided to open a thrift store that buys and sells new and used items.
“I basically created a job for myself,” Short said.
Short’s sister had a thrift store many years ago so Short knew the ropes, she said. Her sister also bought items to sell in the store.
They found that they get better quality items when they are buying them from people, Short said. It’s also a way to help the local economy and help people out in hard times.
“I have people who come in who only need gas money or groceries until the end of the month,” Short said. “This helps them.”
Short does not run a consignment store, she said. She buys merchandise from customers outright and then re-sells it in the store.
The economy is another contributing factor for Short’s business taking off as people are looking for bargains, Short said.
Short said what sets her store apart is that she buys merchandise from people and she keeps a clean, tidy store. She also takes donations, which benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis. She makes a monetary donation each month to St. Jude.
Short has a little bit of everything in her store including baby clothes, household items, adult clothes, books, videos and a host of other items. She does not deal antiques, however. She tries to keep in inventory what people need right now such as day-to-day needs.
To maintain her standards for high-quality merchandise, Short will only takes clothes that are free of rips, tears and stains. She carries a lot of name brand clothing and shoes but doesn’t hike up the prices because they are name brand, she said.
Clothing that comes in brand new with tags on is priced a bit higher, she added.
Families often come into Bargain Basket store looking for certain types of items such as particular sizes of clothing. Short said she will keep a tab of requests and call the person when she comes across the merchandise.
“I have several families that have foster kids and they need specific things,” Short said.
Bargain Basket has the following guidelines for people who wish to sell merchandise:
• Permission is requested before bringing merchandise into the store.
• Antiques are not purchased.
• All clothing must be in good, clean conditions (no stains, tears, odors or pet hair)
• Shoes must be gently worn.
• Clothes must be on hangers or folded in boxes (clothes stuffed in trash bags will be considered a donation).
• Electrical products will be tested to ensure they work and have all the needed cords, etc.
• The following baby items are not purchased because of liability — baby beds, bassinets, high chairs, car seats, walkers, dressing tables, potty chairs and swings.
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