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It is possible to make a living 50 cents, a dollar or $5 at a time — even if the business owner keeps only half of the sale price. Sandy Decker knew how to make a consignment store work when she arrived in Pratt 20 years ago.
As others have followed her lead, customers come from a wide area and march from store to store to store — four consignment shops and a non-profit thrift shop, all within four blocks on Main Street.
In February, Decker will close Sunflower Consignments, move to Hays and have more time to travel and be involved in the activities of her grandchildren.
She has been considering retirement for a couple of years, and when somebody made an offer on the building recently, she decided it was time to move on. Because the sale is not yet final, she wouldn’t name the buyer.
When her children were small, Decker enjoyed shopping at second-hand stores, but didn’t like having to sort through piles of unorganized merchandise to find the bargains. Deciding to open her own store and “have it looking like a department store,” she set up shop in Iola, where she ran a business for seven years. During those years, she said she “figured out how to do stuff,” and was always picky about the quality of merchandise she put out for sale.
“If I won’t buy it, nobody else will,” she commented.
Most of her consigners in Pratt — and there have been more than 8,000 of them in 20 years — bring in good merchandise, she said. What doesn’t sell is donated to the Haviland Care Center. In the past, Salvation Army and Disabled Veterans would come to Pratt to pick up items, but they no longer do that. It’s too expensive for them to make the trip and they get enough things donated to their stores, she explained.
When Decker closed the store in Iola, she moved to Las Vegas. She lasted a year there, before deciding the bright lights were not what she wanted. A daughter lived in Pratt at the time, and suggested she move here. Back in Kansas, Decker began noticing the sunflowers and realized how much she had missed them.
She opened Sunflower Consignments in a small building on East Third, and had used furniture around the corner on Ninnescah. She bought the former JC Penney store in 2003.
“I was very nervous, but it definitely was the right decision,” she said.
It is possible to make a living 50 cents, a dollar or $5 at a time — even if the business owner keeps only half of the sale price. Sandy Decker knew how to make a consignment store work when she arrived in Pratt 20 years ago.
As others have followed her lead, customers come from a wide area and march from store to store to store — four consignment shops and a non-profit thrift shop, all within four blocks on Main Street.
In February, Decker will close Sunflower Consignments, move to Hays and have more time to travel and be involved in the activities of her grandchildren.
She has been considering retirement for a couple of years, and when somebody made an offer on the building recently, she decided it was time to move on. Because the sale is not yet final, she wouldn’t name the buyer.
When her children were small, Decker enjoyed shopping at second-hand stores, but didn’t like having to sort through piles of unorganized merchandise to find the bargains. Deciding to open her own store and “have it looking like a department store,” she set up shop in Iola, where she ran a business for seven years. During those years, she said she “figured out how to do stuff,” and was always picky about the quality of merchandise she put out for sale.
“If I won’t buy it, nobody else will,” she commented.
Most of her consigners in Pratt — and there have been more than 8,000 of them in 20 years — bring in good merchandise, she said. What doesn’t sell is donated to the Haviland Care Center. In the past, Salvation Army and Disabled Veterans would come to Pratt to pick up items, but they no longer do that. It’s too expensive for them to make the trip and they get enough things donated to their stores, she explained.
When Decker closed the store in Iola, she moved to Las Vegas. She lasted a year there, before deciding the bright lights were not what she wanted. A daughter lived in Pratt at the time, and suggested she move here. Back in Kansas, Decker began noticing the sunflowers and realized how much she had missed them.
She opened Sunflower Consignments in a small building on East Third, and had used furniture around the corner on Ninnescah. She bought the former JC Penney store in 2003.
“I was very nervous, but it definitely was the right decision,” she said.
She doubled her square footage, traffic picked up and the business has supported her family. She has had as many as six employees at a time, but two or three has been more usual.
The business appeals to people looking for bargains or treasures. Kids’ clothing sells well.
“You can outfit a little kid with cute clothes for $5 or $10,” she said. “Especially babies — they wear something twice and outgrow it.”
Women’s clothing also sells well, and there is a bigger demand for men’s jeans than she can supply. Jewelry and kitchenware have also been good sellers. She has always tried to keep an attractive window display — sometimes people come in and don’t know they’re in a second-hand store, she said.
Her customers and consigners have become friends. She remembers the names of the earliest consigners, and some are still active. Customers come in sometimes just to visit — they tell her it always cheers them up to come in.
“I appreciate the customers over the years,” she said. “I know I’m going to miss them. I’ve made a lot of good friends.”
Family members came in after Christmas for a “marking marathon,” and all the merchandise she has taken in is on display. She’ll mark it down between now and Feb. 11, and as the closing date approaches, store fixtures will also be for sale. She may sell some of the sunflower art.
