New To Me Consignment Boutique celebrates new ownership and inventory with the same beloved discounts.
Liz Long
Katelynn Lewis, owner of New to Me Consignment Boutique
New to Me Consignment Boutique has a new owner. Katelynn Lewis and her family moved back to Roanoke in 2015 after seven years in California, choosing to live in the Raleigh Court area of Grandin Village. She became familiar with New to Me as a shopper, and loved the store.
“As [my husband and I] were approaching 40, which occurred this year, we really began thinking about ways we could work for ourselves to allow more time to spend with our family and doing things we enjoy,” Lewis says.
Lewis has always liked the concept of consignment, so when she discovered owner Jenny Prickitt was in the market to sell in late 2019, she struck up conversation on what it would take to become hers. Lewis started her new job as owner on March 17, 2020.
Lewis is excited about making New to Me her own, and to help clients find unique items. She did some rearranging on the floor to offer more walkable space, which has been positively received. She’s also putting more efforts into fashion, bringing a younger feel to clothes and shoes with more affordable designer prices. But she won’t change too much – she’s still focusing on unique treasures you won’t find anywhere else. Inventory will be mixed, with furniture, art, housewares, jewelry, purses, accessories and more.
“I’d like the shop to be a place where you can find something creative and unique for yourself or as a gift for someone else,” she says.
The consignment procedure is the same, as are the discounts – 20% after 30 days and 40% after 60 days.
Lewis emphatically supports the sustainability of buying used items. And now, when during the pandemic so many have sorted through their attics and basements while quarantined at home, there are more treasures than ever waiting to be discovered. She shared a recent report from ThreadUP that estimates “if everyone bought one used item this year, it would save 5.7 billion pounds of carbon emissions, of the equivalent of taking half a million cars off the road for an entire year.”
“I think this is important to realize, especially when we all should be making an effort to reduce our carbon footprint,” Lewis says. “Not only are we shopping more responsibly when buying used, but you can save money by doing so!”
The New to Me website, recently created and launched by Lewis, also has an online shop, though inventory changes quickly, especially as there is usually only one of anything in the store at a time. Her prices are made even better once discounts kick in, though Lewis warns guests not to wait, as the next enthusiastic shopper may want to immediately take home their newfound treasures.
New to Me is currently open Tuesday through Saturday, 12pm-6pm. As Lewis navigates retail during the pandemic, customers are encouraged to follow New to Me on the new website, Facebook and/or Instagram. (She and her employees wear masks, and ask their customers to do the same upon entry.) The new website informs customers of changes to hours, consignment policy and more.
Be sure to visit their website or social media for more information, and visit New to Me soon to discover your own consignment treasures!