New Lehigh County store offering cash on the spot for gently used kids' clothes, toys, accessories

Once Upon a Child, a retail chain that buys and sells gently used kids'

Once Upon a Child, a retail chain that buys and sells gently used kids' clothing, toys, baby gear and more, opened for buying only on Monday, June 5, at 1932 Catasauqua Road in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. After accumulating enough inventory in the coming weeks, the new Once Upon a Child shop is then expected to hold a grand opening "for selling to customers" around the beginning of August.

HANOVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. - A new Lehigh County store needs the community's help in filling up its racks and shelves with gently used children's items.

The store, occupying an end-unit space that previously housed Mattress Firm in the Valley Plaza, needs to fill 8,000 square feet of space with merchandise before it can begin selling products.

Once Upon a Child recently opened for buying only in the Valley Plaza on Catasauqua Road in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. After accumulating enough inventory in the coming weeks, the new Once Upon a Child shop is then expected to hold a grand opening "for selling to customers" around the beginning of August.

Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. No appointments are needed.

"We are now open to stock our store with gently used kids' clothing, shoes, toys, and baby gear!" an announcement posted Monday on the business' Facebook page reads. "Stop in today to sell to us, and we'll pay you cash on the spot!"

Once Upon a Child is part of Winmark Corporation, North America's leading franchisor of sustainable resale brands, including other popular brands Plato's Closet, Play It Again Sports, Style Encore and Music Go Round.

At more than 400 franchised Once Upon a Child stores in the United States and Canada, customers can shop and sell children's clothing (newborn to youth), along with kids' shoes, accessories, toys, books, bikes, sports equipment and baby items such as high chairs, strollers, Pack 'n Plays and ExerSaucers.

Individuals looking to sell their gently used items can bring them into the store, where an employee reviews them and makes an offer based on style, safety and condition standards. If you accept the offer, you get paid cash on the spot.

The Lehigh Valley's first Once Upon a Child store is run by Ryan and Julie Simmons, who also operate the Lehigh Valley's only outposts of Plato's Closet (buying and selling gently used, brand-name clothing, shoes and accessories for teens and young adults) and Style Encore (buying and selling gently used, brand-name clothing, shoes and accessories for women) in the same shopping center.

After accumulating enough inventory in the coming weeks, the new Once Upon a Child shop is then expected to hold a grand opening "for selling to customers" around the beginning of August, according to Hannah McGuire, assistant manager at the neighboring Plato's Closet store.

"Just by buying and selling these items at our stores, you are taking sustainable actions while saving up to 70% off retail!" a message on Once Upon a Child's website reads.

"When you bring in your gently used kid's clothing, toys and furniture, you are helping make the earth a better place. Recycling clothing can save thousands of gallons of water and millions of barrels of oil. Selling your gently used items to our stores allows other kids to enjoy them again. That helps cut down the emissions of toxic chemicals and gases that are generated when new textiles and other materials are created to make brand new toys and baby gear."

According to a recent report by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, the global resale market grew by a staggering 109.4% between 2016 and 2021, and it was forecast to grow 31% further to $182.4 billion in 2022 as inflation woes drove shoppers to seek out more affordable options.

Once Upon a Child continues to play a part in this growth, opening more stores year after year. The brand currently has more than 400 franchised stores in the United States and Canada, and overall, Winmark has more than 1,250 locations in North America across all of its brands.

For the latest updates on the Allentown area's Once Upon a Child location, follow the business' Facebook and Instagram pages.

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