Resale shop literally a dream job for Geneva woman

The downturn in the housing market drove Elsa Reinke to a new business venture. She opened a resale shop.

The Geneva woman recently launched New 2 You Resale at 149 W. Roosevelt Road in West Chicago. The business, in the La Chiquita grocery store plaza at Joliet Road, features gently worn clothes that are all less than $5. Furniture, housewares, purses, shoes and belts are also available at the shop.

Before launching the business, Reinke was a vice president for Sho-deen Inc., a new home developer in Geneva. Her position was eliminated last summer. Reinke, 52, was offered other corporate executive jobs. She was unsure of the next step of her career path and recalls sitting on a swing at a park with a friend. At that time, Reinke, who is religious, asked for the answer to come to her in a dream. That night, she dreamed that she opened a resale shop.

The doors began to open and the dream became a reality.

"It's very rewarding," she said of the new business. "The purpose is to find good-quality clothes and merchandise at prices everyone can afford."

It's Reinke's mission to keep the shop organized. The clothes are hung on wooden hangers and sorted by size and color. She bought the majority of clothes in bulk from various companies. She also looks at garage sales and seeks donations to fill the 4,500-square-foot shop.

Most T-shirts at the store go for 88 cents while most tops are $2.50. Reinke also serves various shelters in the area.

The business is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, call (630) 621-8811.

Kim Mikus covers retail and small business. She welcomes comments at (847) 427-4567 or kmikus@dailyherald.com.