So when she and her sister, Vivian, sold Spotless last year, she decided to move ahead with an idea she had been kicking around for a while.
“I knew this neighborhood and the people here,” said the Fairfield resident. “I thought bringing decent clothes to a great neighborhood at a great price was the way to go.”
And so Renee’s Resale Clothing Outlet was born.
The tidy storefront, set in a commercial building the family owns, features new, gently used and vintage clothing for women and young adults. Open since Halloween, the shop had an official ribbon-cutting this week, welcoming Mayor John Harkins and Stratford Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mary Dean to the festivities.
Unlike a straight consignment store, Renee’s buys most of its clothes outright, paying the seller on the spot. Mizrahi will consider consigning some high-ticket items, but she prefers to own her own merchandise.
With her experience in the cleaning industry, Mizrahi invested in a steamer and freshens and presses all the clothing before it hits the selling floor.
She said the new shop offers her a way to unleash a little creativity.
“We loved our laundromat, but we were looking for a little change,” she said.
The shop offers everything from evening wear to casual shoes with a price point that can’t be beat. A quick peek around the store revealed popular 7 For All Mankind jeans for just $10, many times less than their original price.
“I buy low, I sell low,” Mizrahi said. “That’s the way to do it. You have to look around, but you never know what you’re going to find.”
Renee’s Resale Clothing Outlet is at 1436 Barnum Ave. Business hours until after the holidays are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week. Check out its Facebook page for up-to-the-minute news.
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