The spring and summer consignment sale season launches this week with the opening of the massive
Kids Exchange sale to the public on Friday.
Like most sales, Kids Exchange volunteers, consignors and others who have helped get the sale organized will enter the doors to shop earlier than the general public and get some of the best deals like bikes or popular ride-on toys. Those earlier shopping hours - sometimes also extended to first-time moms, grandparents, the military, day care centers, foster parents and others - are a popular way to lure sellers and shoppers and encourage sale loyalty.
Now, a growing number of sales are offering another way for shoppers to get in the door earlier: Charity nights. As I updated our consignment sale list, I noticed that about 20 percent of the sales offer these earlier hours for the general public, who must make a donation or bring an item, such as diapers, to shop earlier than the general public.
Here are the ones that I know about. (Be sure to follow the links and check the details if you plan on going to one of them). Share if there are others! I think these sound like a fun night out with some mom friends! Our
consignment sale database lists all of the upcoming sales.
Kids EveryWear at the Morrisville Outlet Mall will host a
Shop for a Cause Charity event from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Feb. 22. To shop early, you'll need a copy of the confirmation web page or email showing that you've joined the sale's mailing list. You'll also need to bring a gift to donate to local charities or to Habitat for Humanity. Gifts include a check for $15 or more made out to Habitat for Humanity; a check for $15 or more made out to your favorite local church, PTA or kid-friendly charity; or unopened packages of diapers, wipes or formula valued at $15 or more. During Kids EveryWear's fall sale, shoppers raised more than $4,700 for Habitat for Humanity and 47 other charities.
Upscale Resale in Cary will host a ladies-only charity night where shoppers can get in earlier than the general public. It's slated for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., March 8. Shoppers can enter the sale for a cash donation of $15 which will go to a yet-to-be-determined charity. The sale features higher-end boutique items for kids.
Designer Consignors in Cary typically hosts a charity event the evening before the sale opens to the public. In the past, it's supported Urban Ministries, among other groups. This year, early shopping hours are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., April 13. More details to come.
JoCo Kids Consignment will have early shopping hours starting at 8:30 a.m., Feb. 19, with a $3 cash donation.
Kids Closet Connection in Fayetteville will let the public shop early from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., April 29, with the donation of a pack of diapers.
And
Kidcycle, the consignment sale in Durham that supports the Diaper Bank of North Carolina, has a diaper drop where shoppers who donate diapers can get into the sale earlier. Details to come on this spring's event.
