Furniture Consignment Store Opens in Former HyVee Shopping Strip

Furniture Store Moves into Former HyVee Shopping Strip

By Kathy Feist

It was only the second day of business and already the new consignment furniture store was busy. Customers checked out the gently used furniture staged in numerous settings on the showroom floor. One customer, who was about to downsize from his 4700 square foot home to a 1600 square foot one, made arrangements with the owners to visit his home for a furniture assessment and bid.

1-2 Another, a furniture and jewelry consignment store, opened its doors on February 16 at 12150 State Line Rd. in Leawood (next to the former HyVee grocery store). The shop is certainly located in the right area. As older south Kansas Citians search for easier ways to downsize, newer families moving into their homes are looking for less expensive ways to furnish them.

1-2 Another helps both.

Downsizing

1-2 Another not only sells gently used furniture and jewelry, but also does estate sale buyouts and online auctions. For those not wanting to deal with the tedium of garage sales or the dangers of Craig’s List, this comes as a welcomed relief.

Manager Judi Mericle has been in the estate sales and antique business for 15 years. The owner Larry Dean also previously owned a similar furniture store in Wichita.  Their knowledge of the industry is an advantage to the client. “We care for the person,” said Mericle, citing an experience when they encouraged a client to keep an art object and get it appraised. It ended up valuing at $100,000.

When customers want to downsize, they can choose to have their items displayed in the showroom with the selling price split 50/50. Or they can skip having the items transported to the store and instead have them listed on an online auction. The third option is to sell everything for an initial one-lump sum to 1-2 Another. This is called an estate buyout and there is no splitting of profits from the sale of items as in the other two options. The items must meet the requirements of “gently used” as assessed by 1-2 Another.

Mericle and Dean laugh at some of the items they have had come their way in the estate buyouts. Often customers throw unwanted items into the deal. “Once we had a picture hand-painted on a camel bone,” recalls Mericle. “We discovered looking online that it was worth $395!”

“The disadvantage to the buyouts,” says Dean, “is finding a big enough trash bin.”

The Furniture Store

Of course, the flip side to their business is selling the furniture. “We need buyers,” says Mericle, who says they have a warehouse full of furniture ready for sale.  To the new families moving into houses, she shares this reminder. “Where else can you furnish your entire home, excluding mattresses and linens, at a bargain price?” she asks.

A stroll through the showroom featuring good quality furniture and accessories for a portion of the price will make the buyer wonder that very thing.

For more information, contact 1-2 Another at 913-291-2981.