As an unexpected first time mom I was terrified of bringing a child into this world. How painful was delivery going to be, how could I raise another human being, and most importantly, how am I going to afford all that STUFF? Let’s face it, kids need a lot of stuff and it’s not cheap. I found a great alternative to shelling out thousands of dollars on brand new baby items my child was sure to grow out of or stain beyond recognition in a week’s time. That alternative is called kids consignment shops. It’s like a thrift store but better. The items are all in gently used condition, the stores are clean and organized and it’s all for kids. Here’s a review of three consignment shops in the Virginia Beach area and what to expect at each of them.
The first store is the Clothes Horse located off of Great Neck Road just past First Colonial. It is in the shopping center next to Farm Fresh. This store carries a wide variety and large selection of many items. If you’re looking for furniture or other larger items such as high chairs and strollers I suggest looking here first. They have a room off to the left dedicated to cribs and other large items. They also have a large selection of toys and books arranged neatly in book shelves as you enter the store. Their clothes are easy to look through if you’re looking for something specific as they are separated by size. The prices at this store are a bit more expensive compared to others in the area.
The second one is in the Food Lion shopping center off of Dam Neck Road and London Bridge Road. It is not open on Sunday’s, so make sure to stop by one of the other six days during the week. This shop is pretty small and does not carry many items due to space constraints. There are not many clothes to choose from but what they do have is very nice. This isn’t the store to look for large items like the cribs and strollers as they only carry two or three large items. The prices here are pretty decent.
The third store is Kid to Kid and it’s located off of Laskin and First Colonial Road behind the Sonic. This store was voted “Best of the Beach” and for good reason. The store is very large and has a great selection of everything you need for a new baby and your older kids too. They don’t have too many furniture items such as cribs and dressers but do have two or three at any given time. They carry a large selection of high chairs, strollers and car seats in all colors and patterns. There are two nice things this store offers that I haven’t found at any other kids consignment shop I have been to. First, is that they carry maternity clothes and second, is the play room they have set up to entertain the little ones while mom shops. The prices at this store are the best in town. I suggest shopping for off season items as they put them on clearance prices.
I hope these reviews help you in your quest for cheaper baby items. And for those mom’s not in the Virginia Beach area, just look in your local phone book and see what your area has to offer. I promise you’ll be surprised by the bargains you can find.
