Jane Pabon’s upscale consignment boutique has been successful from day one. | Photo courtesy of Jane Pabon
Jane Pabon had no idea she was on the cusp of a clothing revolution when she launched her apparel resale boutique back in 2009. She wasn’t even sure it would become a profitable business. It was all done, she recalls, on “instinct and intuition.”
Today, Jane Pabon Consignment Boutique is booming at the same time the secondhand market is becoming increasingly mainstream. Her high-end boutique in Geneva, Illinois, offers curated clothes, bags, shoes and other designer pieces.
Pabon recounts her journey and future plans as she launches her first e-commerce site on Shopify.
Edited for length and clarity.
What motivated you to start the company? In 2008 my husband lost his job and my daughter got very ill. Months later I was taking a friend around the neighborhood, and we walked into to a building and it was empty and the landlord was there. She said she was going to do consignment furniture. I told her she should do clothing and accessories. She said, “You do it and you can do it upstairs. We open in two weeks.”
With no experience, why did you think you could be successful? I’m a woman of faith. That day in my devotional I had read that God is looking for people to do things that are impossible. My husband ended up being out of a job for two years. We had medical bills. I knew what I was supposed to do. We made the first month’s rent the first day.
How did you get your inventory in such a short amount of time? Eighty-five to 90% of everything in my home is from estate sales, garage sales, auctions. It’s just how I live. I had a shopping problem. I went to my friends’ houses, to my neighbors, to pick up their stuff. We don’t ever force anything. Everything has to happen naturally and organically.
What was your business philosophy? I wasn’t comparing us to any other consignment. There was nobody else in the industry I was competing against. I set it up like a boutique. I just always modeled it after the higher-end stores. Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom were my models.
When did you realize you were in on a hot trend? I know this is going to sound bizarre, but I don’t care if everybody’s doing it or not. Yes, it’s rising — I hate the word trend — and popular now, but we were still going to do it. When did I first realize it? Probably like a year ago. I tend to do just what I feel.
What are the ages of your clientele? Think about the little girl that came in with her mother when she was 7. She’s coming to us now for her homecoming dresses, her prom dresses. We have 85-year-olds that come in. Honestly, it’s a full gamut.
Are these optional or essential purchases? It’s a combo. People are always looking to supplement their wardrobe.
How will being online help you? I’m hoping it to be at least 30% to 40% decent revenue.
How are you using AI in your business? To be honest, I haven’t tapped into it as much as I should. I use it for research, like when we get a rare piece. But I want to. We’re having a major growth spurt right now, and I need more people so I can go and do that.
What are the biggest mistakes people make when shopping resale? I see more mistakes when they buy retail.
What’s the most exotic thing that’s ever made its way into your shop? We had these two ladies that worked for Chanel for like 30 years. They brought in Chanel helmets, director chairs, mirrors, jewelry, the clothes, all that. I’ll never forget those pieces. They were the best.
What’s your favorite piece of resale apparel that you own? My vintage silk kimonos.
