Designer duds on a student's budget
New store buys and sells trendy clothes
Joseph Vasquez / The Collegian
Fresno State student and Plato’s Closet employee Lauryn Drivas decides whether or not second-hand clothing brought into the store is trendy enough for the store to purchase. Plato’s Closet has been buying up used goods since August and will open its fully-stocked store to customers Thursday at 10 a.m.
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By Lynda Helm
The Collegian
You don’t have to dig deep to find treasures in Plato’s Closet.
The second-hand clothing store, specializing in trendy clothes, offers name brands at low prices.
The store, which has 210 locations nationwide, will open in Fresno Thursday.
Plato’s Closet, located across from the Fashion Fair Mall in the Ash Tree Shopping center, could be considered a high class thrift store for clothes, said Rod Johnson, store owner.
The inventory contains “gently used name brand clothes and accessories in great condition,” he said.
However, this store will also pay you for your clothing. The clothes need to be trendy, in current fashion and in good condition.
Plato’s Closet is often compared to a consignment store, Andrew Bellici, Plato’s Closet manager said.
However, unlike a consignment store, Plato’s Closet will pay you 30 to 40 percent of the potential selling price on the spot.
Jose Marticorena, business major at Fresno State, is excited about the concept behind Plato’s Closet. “I have some shirts that are too big for me that I’d like to sell,” he said.
Some of the brands filling up shelves in the store include Abercrombie & Fitch, Old Navy and Steve Madden.
Although Plato’s Closet resides across from the mall and sells the same clothes for less it is in no way in competition, Johnson said.
The store serves as a part of a retail cycle, Johnson said. Customers will purchase certain styles in the mall, gently use them and then sell them to Plato’s Closet for a little cash. In turn, the next customer can purchase the same styles for less, he said.
“Plato’s Closet completes the cycle,” Johnson said.
Plato’s Closet locations always opens for purchasing six weeks before opening for selling. The Fresno store has been open since August, but not even the employees are allowed to purchase goods before the grand opening, Johnson said.
“It’s a kick,” Johnson said. “The store begins with nothing and within six weeks it’s filled with merchandise.”
The Fresno store will have close to $18,000 of inventory by opening day, Johnson said.Customers bring in 500 to 700 gently used items each day, he said.
The store’s inventory contains 95 percent gently used clothing. The last 5 percent are brand new items.
Since the new items can be purchased wholesale by Plato’s Closet, the merchandise is sold at lower than average prices. For example a pair of $200 designer denim jeans can be found with a $70 price tag in Plato’s Closet.
The employees at Plato’s Closet are highly trained in fashion, trends and quality, Bellici said.
Every month they take a walk through the mall the check out the latest in style. “We look for employees that are outgoing, hardworking, fast and efficient,” Bellici said.
Johnson recently opened another Plato’s Closet in Bakersfield.
At 6 a.m. customers were lining up at the door, he said. By the opening hour of 10 a.m. 200 eager shoppers flooded through the store, he said.
Judging by the amount of pre-shoppers weaving their way through the aisles during the past six weeks, Bellici and Johnson said they are expecting a similar response to Fresno’s opening day.
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