Closing kids resale store looking for nonprofit to take over

With a heavy heart, Green Kids Resale in Round Lake Beach announced in October that it will be closing at the end of the year.

It was eight years ago that we were alarmed by the closing of another kids resale store, Once Upon a Child, in the same location.

With no retail experience, but recognizing the need in the community, we started on a wild ride that became Green Kids Resale.

Our objective was to create a resource for the community - selling and buying used items to help local families while limiting waste in our increasingly disposable-minded society.

We started by forming a staff that became family and implemented policies that always strived to be customer-focused.

Within two years we surpassed the sales volume of our predecessor. We have 26,000 customers in our system and are going strong.

But it's a tough business. We purchase items from the public. The amount of labor involved in sorting, logging, pricing, tagging, and organizing thousands of items a day is off the charts.

We have been blessed over the years with having some exceptional individuals give us their conscientious effort, creativity, knowledge, and skills in exchange for retail wages that are far below what they deserve.

The overhead expenses including rent, taxes, insurance, utilities, supplies, maintenance, etc., take a big bite. When everything is said and done, there is no profit left.

With the lease expiring at the end of this year and other demands weighing on us, we are simply unable to continue to run the business.

We have come to realize that the store needs to be operated by a nonprofit organization so that items are donated to the store rather than purchased by the store.

By eliminating the cost of goods, including volunteers to lower overall labor costs, and accessing other free-of-charge services that nonprofits can tap into, there would be a significant profit to fund a worthy cause.

We have approached three different groups without success, with the third falling through this week.

With only six weeks left on our lease, we are making one final Hail Mary to get the word out that we have a very viable, turn-key, well-oiled machine ready for a nonprofit that's looking for a reliable income stream.

Every family with young children has a steady flow of items that are no longer needed, and many of them would be happy to donate those items to a good cause in their local community.

On the buying end, the customer base is well established secured by the store's great reputation as a convenient, organized, family-friendly place to shop for great deals.

Although we cannot continue to operate it, the thought of all we've created just being packed up and shut down is devastating. The hole that would be left for local families is heartbreaking. We are told by customers at least several times a week how grateful they are for the store. We hope someone can come along and continue to provide this valuable service to the community.

If you are interested in pursuing this opportunity, email the owner at pat@greenkidsresale-il.com.

Since we have such limited time, we ask for serious inquiries only. If you are interested in keeping up on what's happening with the store, look us up on Facebook where we will be posting updates on our status.

Green Kids Resale is at 833 E. Rollins Road, Round Lake Beach, IL 60073; (847) 986-6232 or www.greenkidsresale-il.com.