Another person’s treasure

Shoquist opened Never Ending Consignment June 7 in the building at the corner of Highway 53 and 17th Street.

She said that members of her family also enjoy the search for unique finds at garage sales and have encouraged her interest in the second-hand industry.

Inventory includes books, clothes, knickknacks, dishes and glassware, furniture, movies, and some items that are hard for even Shoquist to categorize — or even figure out what they’re used for.

“I ask a couple people I know who are into the antiquey stuff if I have a question,” she said, when items are unfamiliar.

Consigners, or those who put their items for sale at the store, bring their items to the store. Items are put on sale for up to two months, with the selling price typically split evenly between the store and the consigner.

Shoquist said she prices items based on what the consigners want to get for the item, and also what she believes an item is worth. Pricing can also be based on the worth of an item as noted in antique magazines.

“I don’t think people realize how many treasures are in their garage that they bought from their parents or whatever,” she said. “I don’t think people realize the value of that stuff.

“I think more now people are, because they’ve been watching those shows ‘Pickers,’ ‘Antique Roadshow,’ more and more people are becoming familiar with that stuff but some people are like, ‘I didn’t even know that’s worth anything.’”

She said that for some sellers, an item is just in the way and they don’t realize that for someone else that will be a treasure.

“One person’s garbage is another person’s treasure,” Shoquist said, quoting the old adage.

Part of opening the consignment store has been accumulating enough inventory to keep customers coming back and having something for everyone.

“I’ve had a lot of consigners,” she said. “And now I’m getting a lot of customers because I have more out. I didn’t have a lot to offer when I opened.”

She said that when she opened the business and started to set up the racks and displays, she had hardly any inventory. But people quickly started bringing her their items to sell.

The name of the store is not indicative of the amount of time one item can be put on consignment, Shoquist said, but rather that there is a never-ending supply of new items in the store.

Shoquist requests items brought into the store to be consigned be free of holes, tears, stains and are in good, working condition.

“Most everything people bring in, they’ve been kind and taken good care of their stuff,” she said.

“Everybody has different things,” she said, adding that she is always welcoming people to bring her their items to put on sale.

She said she hopes to get more pieces of furniture in the shop since there are not other avenues for people to buy used furniture items from stores locally.

“We have a lot of people having babies, all the time,” she joked, saying that many of the baby items fly off the shelves quickly. Antique dishes are also popular sellers, she said.

“You want it, you better pick it up and buy it,” she warned. Several customers, and even she, have admired an item but left it on the shelf for further consideration. When they came back to purchase it, the item was sold. “It’s usually not here when you come back to get it. We’ve had a good turnover.”

For many of her customers, she said, part of the fun of coming to the consignment shop is looking for good deals on interesting items.

She said that although several regular customers had walked by a particular lamp, one keen collector spotted the gem, purchased it, and when asked by Shoquist how the pricing had been, she was told it was worth around $1,000 — much more than the $20 price tag.

“He was pretty excited,” she said.

She has gotten pricing advice from people she knows who are knowledgeable about antiques, as well as from antique guides when a marking is visible that tells her more about an item.

She said she has also learned about antiques from collectors and customers who have come into the store.

“Everything’s got value to it,” she said. “Wipe it off, there’s probably a stamp on it or something, some sort of marking or name.”

Shoquist, the sole employee, credits family and friends who have donated their time to help her get her first business open.

Never Ending Consignment will have its grand opening celebration Friday and Saturday. The store will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be drinks and light refreshments available. There will also be six drawings for $10 in-store gift certificates.

The store is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Items from consigners are accepted Monday through Wednesday. For more information, call Never Ending Consignment at 373-1050.