MISSOULA — A pop-up shop looking to help families out with their budget, and their style, returned to Missoula over the weekend.
The 406 Consignary sale runs on the premise that, just because kids grow fast, that does not mean their fashion also needs to be fast.
“Instead of it being thrown away, it's getting recycled and reused and renewed,” said Ashley Breza.
Years ago, Breza found herself with piles and piles of perfectly good, but outgrown, baby stuff cluttering up her house.
Like a lot of other moms, she turned to 406 Consignary, which hosts family-oriented sales across the state every fall and spring.
“I love that it's very eco-conscious,” said Breza, now a manager with 406 Consignary. “I learned about the wonderful landfill, I can't remember where it is, where it's all closed and you can see from the satellite and it's just the waste from fast fashion. It's just huge and it's exciting and big. But, how many things get thrown away that could really be reused?"
Johanna Bouma founded 406 Consignary to help families save a little on their budget while keeping down waste and giving families the option to bring in some extra money.
“We just love the circular economy. One of the most impactful industries to our environment is actually the clothing industry,” Bouma said. “It's so great when families can recycle and upcycle their items for other families in the area. Everybody gets to benefit.”
Families can sell their gently-used items at their own prices, or just come to shop.
"I love all the deals that they have. I think there's a lot of clothes for kind of everyone,” said Erika Bears, who came to shop for clothes in the next size up for her baby.
Families can buy and sell everything from infant and adult clothes to bikes, furniture and jewelry.
The opportunity to save, and even earn, money is a big deal to longtime shopper turned vendor Cherish Pfaff.
"I've got two kids. I have nine older siblings as well. Budgets and bargains are our favorite thing. I've got over 20 nieces and nephews,” Pfaff said. “This is a great place to stock up on for like Christmas gifts or birthdays because we've got a million of them every month."
For Pfaff, the sale is a family event. Her sister-in-law is a volunteer, consignor and shopper, and the family has watched the sale grow over the years.
When Pfaff started her jewelry company, Ling Ling’s Bling, selling at the event was a given.
“I’m at the sale today as a vendor because, first off, I love this event,” she said. “It's surreal, honestly. It means a lot just to see how big it's grown being here, being part of it, watching all the kids run by and then remembering how little my kids used to be. It's such an amazing feeling."
Pfaff and her family are not alone in finding more than they bargained for at the sale.
“I love the community,“ Breza said. “Every season we get new families and it's just kind of this really tight-knit family.”
