Cornelius moms prepare for spring sales

Why pay top dollar for kids clothing and accessories when you can get brand new looking merchandise at a fraction of the cost?

Spring sales are around the corner and Barrie Tabor, owner of Huge Kids Sale, and Katrina Kerr, owner of Kat's Kid Sale are gearing up for their Cornelius sales.

Here's how it works. Kid's consignment sales offer gently used items such as clothing, toys, baby equipment, books and videos. Consignors gather everything they want to sell and determine a price for each item.

Both the Huge Kids Sale and Kat's Kid Sale use an electronic bar code system. This system, which replaces the old paper tag system, is easier for both the consignor and the owners. Consignors can track what is sold online.

At the end of the sale, consignors collect 70 percent of what they sold. They have the choice of picking up unsold merchandise or leaving it to be donated.

Huge Kids Sale donates all unsold merchandise to Cabarrus County Foster Child Closet, a local crisis ministry, and individual families. Kat's Kid Sale donates to a local crisis pregnancy ministry and other local agencies that have a need at that time.

The sales are open to the public, and shoppers can find items at prices much lower than retail.

"The key for me is finding toys that are in good condition for less than half the price of retail," said Jennifer Kellner of Huntersville. "In today's economy, why spend full price on items, if you don't have to?"

Tabor and Kerr both got their start in the business after consigning at a sale.

In 1997, Tabor consigned at her first sale located in a resident's backyard in the Peninsula neighborhood. The sale became too large for a person's home to accommodate.

In the fall of 1997, she launched her first kid's sale with 38 consignors. Now, she runs three sales, in Cornelius, Statesville and Concord, in the spring and fall of each year.

She has 850 consignors in the spring - 400 of them at the Cornelius sale. As a single mom with two daughters, Kori, 17, and Krissi, 16, Tabor understands that parents are looking for ways to save money on quality items.

Karen Martin of Davidson has shopped and consigned at Tabor's sale.

"I love consignment selling and shopping because I think it's a terrific way of recycling, especially for special outfits that might be worn only once or twice," she said.

Kerr started her path more recently when she consigned at Birkdale Kids Sale one-and-a-half years ago. The original owner was looking to pass on the reins, and Kerr gladly took them.

After doing one sale with the owner, Kerr launched her sale under a new name, Kat's Kid Sale. The sale is at a larger venue to accommodate approximately 60 consignors. Kerr and her husband, Travis, understand how quickly parents go through items. They have two sons, Camden, 5, and Perry, 2, a daughter, Ellie, 3, and are expecting a baby girl in a few weeks.