Store finds niche in women's designer consignment

A new women’s upscale consignment store has opened in Crestline Village. Lilla, the sister store of Little Lavender, is located between Snoozy’s and Snap Kids on Country Club Park.

The store sells exclusively boutique and designer clothing, shoes, handbags and jewelry, along with some staple items from stores such as J.Crew, Anthrologie and Banana Republic.

Its name, which means purple in Italian, signifies stability and luxury just like its sister store’s.

The former Mountain Brook Interiors space Lilla occupies now has its own dressing rooms, oversized mirrors and crystal chandeliers. Racks made of pipe add an industrial, art deco feel to the space.

Little Lavender began as an online children’s consignment business 10 years ago. Two years ago, Faith Gardner purchased the business, and a year later she opened its first storefront next to Church Street Coffee & Books. Little Lavender now also sells sample and overstock items in-store and online in addition to its consigned items. 

Since she took over the business, customers had been asking Gardner if she would consign women’s items. Eventually, she started accepting extra-small tops and women’s shoes for pre-teen girls, and in December Gardner first started taking all women’s items. 

Before she knew it, Jimmy Choo shoes, Burberry bags and other designer pieces were flooding her inventory. By early February, she had a storefront for the new sister business. 

Gardner said Mountain Brook Trading and other trading websites have helped her business by increasing the popularity of consigning in the community.

“That shows how far the thought with pre-owned clothing has come,” Gardner said. “People realize they can have fabulous pieces that have only been worn once.”

As a rule of thumb, Lilla’s merchandise sells at 20 to 30 percent of its original retail value. For instance, a $120 top usually runs about $34 in the shop. A Chanel handbag in excellent condition might run closer to 50 percent of its original value, Gardner said.

Lilla’s sellers receive 50 percent of the selling price, and there is a 90-day consigning period. Clothes that are not sold can be retrieved or donated at the end of the consignment period. Gardner is currently looking for a local organization to donate these items to; she gives children’s items to My Child’s Closet. 

Lilla also offers layaway for items with a minimum price of $200. 

So far Lilla’s women’s selection has attracted women from their 20s to their 60s, and Gardner said she looks forward to growing her clientele to draw shoppers from outside Mountain Brook. 

For updates on Lilla’s merchandise, visit the store’s Facebook page. 

Lilla

Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

803-3958