Out with the old, in with the used
Stocked with brand-name clothes at reduced prices and with cash on the spot for selling your brand-name clothes, Plato’s Closet is “very unique,” according to Zach Yates, Plato’s Closet manager.
Yates said Plato’s Closet is not just another second-hand store.
“The things we have are actually really nice. A lot of things people bring in have never been worn. Take it home, wash it and you’ll never know that someone else has worn it.”
With the economy like it is, Yates said he feels shopping at Plato’s Closet is the perfect way to cut back.
Not only does Plato’s Closet provide a place for people to shop for less, but it also allows people to sell their clothes and make some cash, he said.
“We buy all the seasons all the time. We’re always buying clothes,” Yates said. “So if (people) need extra cash or they have something that sits in their closet that they never wear, they can always bring it in, and we’ll pay cash on the spot.”
KC Schmit, a shift leader at Plato’s Closet, said, “I used to shop at Buckle, and I will never shop there again, because the stuff here is just as good and it’s 70 percent to 80 percent cheaper than at Buckle.”
She said she was able to buy a pair of Rock Revivals for $45 at Plato’s Closet instead of paying $200 in the store.
Whitney Dobson, assistant manager at Plato’s Closet, said the fact that store inventory comes from people selling their clothes is a benefit for the store.
“It’s fun being a gently used clothing store, because there’s always something different. You (don’t) just get 30 of the same shirts in various sizes,” she said. “(There’s) one shirt in one size and that’s the only thing like it in the store.”
Schmit said the selection is a big perk that comes along with her job.
“Seeing all the different styles that come in,” she said, “that different people have, makes you want a different style.”
Dobson said Plato’s Closet is a place where people can shop to keep up with the current styles.
“It’s just really fun to keep up with what’s going on with fashion — what’s staying in style — and seeing what brands sell the best.”
Plato’s is looking for teen clothes, Dobson said, that are still within a year or two out of the store. The goal is to acquire clothes that are fairly new, she said, in order to keep the styles carried at Plato’s Closet up to date.
“Brand names do sell better for us, like American Eagle, Hollister and Forever 21,” she said. “If it’s not one of the major brand names (but) we think it will sell well for our store, we’ll still purchase it, but for the main part we do like to purchase brand names.”
Dobson said the condition of the clothes is another standard Plato’s holds its suppliers to. She said the clothes cannot be too worn out or have holes or stains.
“The things we buy from people is just as important as the things we sell to people,” Yates said.
He said without people selling their clothes, there would be no store.
“There’s new things every day, we buy clothes every day and we’re always restocking our shelves,” Dobson said. “So, if you’re not seeing something you like today, just come back the next day and there will be something new. There’s always new things.”
Yates encourages people to come into the store and see what it has to offer.
“It’s just a great store. We’d love to see anybody in here, especially Utah State students,” he said.
– karlee.ulrich@aggiemail.usu.edu