Savvy Consignment Offers Customers A Smart Way To Shop

Although she is now in her eighth year of offering brand-name clothing and furniture at discount prices as the owner of Savvy Consignment, Stacey Cassidy said she had no idea if her business would pan out.

“The Fortune 500 had consignment listed as one of the fastest-growing industries. I just went for it and did it on a whim,” she said.

“Every year that you keep a small business going is a success,” she added. “People don’t realize the money and effort it takes, but it’s rewarding.”

Savvy Consignment has new and gently used name-brand women’s, children’s and men’s clothing, handbags and shoes. They also offer furniture and home décor ranging from designer chairs and stools to local artwork and ottomans.

“Consignment is a win-win,” Cassidy said. “We make people money, we save people money and it’s a form of recycling.”

Competing with online retailers and sites like Craigslist presents a challenge, but Savvy allows customers to browse items at their convenience and sell their old attire without an appointment — a luxury that is especially important for moms and people with busy work schedules.

“Who doesn’t need extra money? Everyone likes extra money. Why not try?” Cassidy said. “People just give away stuff or throw it out, but when you donate clothes, you have to itemize every single thing in that bag, and you get hardly anything back on your tax write-off. You make $50 when you could make $150.”

About eight months ago, Savvy began accepting men’s clothes. “You have to keep up with the Joneses,” Cassidy said of the addition. “We have an email list now asking women to tell their husbands to clean out their closets. It started with one rack and then two, and it’s starting to take off a bit.”

Cassidy said it’s no easy feat to run a small business, but she prides herself on customer service.

“My No. 1 thing is saying hi to everyone who walks in,” she said. “I’d like to be the Nordstrom of consignment … Technology is so crazy these days, but you have to go back to the customer service, being nice and kind. We’re not here to pull one over on anybody. We just come in, work hard and do the best that we can.”

The staff at Savvy maintains that convivial attitude regardless of how busy they are.

“This is difficult work. We’re always on our feet and it’s very hard on your body, like working in a restaurant,” Cassidy said. “We don’t sit, we eat when we can, but it’s fun. We cackle, we laugh, we cry. We’re a tight-knit family.”

That family extends to the community outside of the shop, and staff members give back whenever possible. A six-time judge for the Fourth of July Parade, Cassidy recently donated to the Race for Education at Oak Hill Elementary, where two of her three children attend school. She also donated to the Severna Park Middle spring carnival.

“Every school that comes in and asks for a donation, I give something if I can,” Cassidy said. “Those kids are our future.”

As for her own future, the Savvy Consignment owner sees nothing but growth. Her team, with six full-time employees and 17 overall, will continue to be a Severna Park mainstay.

“I thought I would open a cute little store and now could be working three days a week, but then I opened another store and we expanded. We’re doing great, though. We’re a well-oiled machine,” Cassidy said. “We put out 800 pieces of clothing on a busy day. But I don’t think any successful small business can run without a team behind it and we have a good team.”

Savvy Consignment is located at 553 Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard, which is next to Garry’s Grill in the Severna Park Village Shopping Center. Hours are 10:00am-4:00pm on Monday, 10:00am-6:30pm Tuesday through Friday, 10:00am-5:00pm on Saturday and 10:00am-3:00pm on Sunday. To learn more, call 410-647-1636, visit www.savvyconsignment.com or find “Savvy Consignment” on Facebook.