If you read our “Top Five Reasons Why Consigning Makes Sense” in the April issue, you know working with an established consignment store is always the best idea!
Expert Heather Kline reminded us of some key points: Consigning takes the hassle out of selling for you (reducing the risk of you selling to the wrong buyers and interacting with strangers), it offers the enormous benefits of shopping local, and it provides an eco-friendly alternative to sending otherwise good pieces to the local landfill!
Heather and her husband, Andrew, bought Consign On A Dime & Showplace 28 in 2020, and love their unique niche of selling quality furniture and decor at what they describe as “gently used” prices.
Heather grew up in Western Lincoln County in Vale, and earned her bachelor’s degree in Business and Marketing Education from Appalachian State University. When Andrew completed his Masters degree, the two moved to Cornelius after graduation.
“We moved here in 2005, and I began my teaching career at Lake Norman High School in Mooresville,” says Heather. “After teaching, we began a real estate team and enjoyed working together selling residential real estate in the Lake Norman and Charlotte areas.”
When the couple’s first son was born, Andrew went to work for Lowes Corporate Headquarters, and Heather began teaching Preschool at Community in Christ Lutheran Church. But as their children grew, she realized how much she missed being in a business and marketing setting.
“When we purchased the consignment stores I immediately fell in love with the mixture of business, marketing, and the small town local shopping experience,” shares Heather.
One element tends to set both stores apart from other consignment businesses.
“Our team’s attention to detail is definitely one of our keys to success,” says Heather “We open our store to many different designs and styles, while also focusing on high-quality, luxury brands, and extremely unique finds. They are constantly re-designing our displays to showcase the current inventory.” That amazing team includes 14 employees that rotate between the two stores — ranging in age from 15-years-old to 80-years-young!
For Heather, meeting customers is one of the most rewarding aspects of the job. She, Andrew, and their team work hard to create a warm, welcoming environment, and go out of their way to assist customers who are searching for specific items.
“Many days we engage with customers who are going through major life transitions — downsizing, a growing family, or a relocation,” she says. “When customers allow us to guide them through the buying process, our team can truly get to know them and their personal style.”
Everyone involved with Consign On A Dime & Showplace 28 strives to keep the daily work flow in balance. That means maintaining an open stream of constant communication throughout the showrooms and behind the scenes, as well as keeping the movement of inventory up-to-date. The team works non-stop to redesign displays so inventory consistently sells at a rate conducive to maintaining a steady turnover of new products. Without the staff’s knowledge, input, and hard work, Heather and Andrew know their successes and expansions wouldn’t be possible! Plus, there is bountiful support within the Lake Norman small business community.
“We love Lake Norman, and living in Cornelius makes life very easy and convenient for our family!” says Heather. “We can find almost anything we are searching for within a 10-mile range!”
She and Andrew love being convenient to Charlotte and Charlotte Douglas Airport, giving their family the experience of a city vibe, as well as providing for easy air travel.
“Living here also means that within any day, we can find ourselves at the beach or in the mountains. Staying on-the-go and managing many projects sometimes means that ‘vacation’ can become a last-minute decision!” says Heather.
With an inventory that is ever changing, Consign On A Dime is always looking for clean, gently used, quality furniture and home accessories. All items must be pre-approved for consignment, and you can email pictures to [email protected]. Someone will reply to you within 48-72 hours. Consign On A Dime & Showplace 28 have a proven track record of quick turnover because of their high-quality inventory.
The perfect pieces for your own home — whether it’s new or well-established — just might be waiting at Consign On A Dime, located at 19207 W. Catawba Avenue, Suite A, Cornelius, NC, 704-892-8492, and online at www.Consignonadime.com. Showplace 28 is located at 20924 Torrence Chapel Road, Cornelius, NC, 704-892-4447, and online at www.Showplace28.com. Follow them on Instagram @coadandsp28. Store hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Growing Strong!
In early 2022, Heather and Andrew also acquired Champions Sports Performance in Cornelius. Champions is a Parisi Speed School which focuses on teaching speed, strength, and agility to children of all abilities. They recently opened a second location in Matthews, NC, and their team of trainers works daily with children ages four to college-age to fine-tune and develop their skills for speed and agility.
“Andrew and I both are active Board Members for Lake Norman Little League, and have witnessed first-hand how Champions allowed our 13-year-old to grow and develop a strong core appropriate for his growth rate,” Heather adds. “We feel his training has been the key element that keeps him injury-free, while playing and competing in travel sports at such a young age.”
