Once Upon A Child - Crestwood/Kirkwood, MO — Local services in Kirkwood

This location was my first experience with OUAC a year ago so I decided to go back at the beginning of July this year and quickly regretted the decision. I had one bag full of my son’s to try and sell and while we were doing that we thought we’d look around for some school clothes. Let me just say this the employees there are VERY RUDE. As I was checking in I had a couple questions about a sale they had going on and the lady at the kiosk certainly did not want to answer my questions and made very little to no eye contact. Strike 1. They also had a cop there speaking to an elderly woman in which I assume just witnessed someone steal. EVERY EMPLOYEE working there that day was right up front trying to listen in to the story instead of some remaining behind to help customers. It doesn’t help the fact either that they have a ton of larger toys and baby swings places in front by the door either. Literally barely any room to move about. My son and I were looking through the boys section when we both smelled what seemed to pee human urine. Strike 2. Either they didn’t clean their bathrooms or accepted some clothing that smelled or urine and put them out anyways. Disgusting. They took forever as well to look through my items when I was one of the first ones to bring them in that day. Everything was so jammed pack in the aisles and on the racks that I got so overwhelmed and had to leave so we paid for our items and then waited for them to be done going through our clothes. When we went back in to see what they had taken our bag was heavily damaged making it hard to carry out the remaining clothes. Also the lady suggested we bring them back in September when clearly she should be advising customers to maybe check out other locations for selling because they’re location obviously doesn’t need anymore. It’s like they don’t know when to stop buying and then want to take a whole bunch from others and offer them very little in return. In conclusion I can’t recommend this location. Terrible customer service and a very unclean store. Stop by the one in Arnold. You won’t be...

I have read some pretty harsh reviews of this place that I’m not sure are quite fair. I have shopped here quite a bit over the years of several grandchildren, and I hope to lend a more specific and balanced review.

Basically, this is a fine place to buy kids’ clothing and accessories. The items are in good shape and reasonably priced for the most part. Some big name labels are overpriced though for used clothing, but they may get discounted more after a while on the rack. If you have a problem with anything, you have seven days to return it - this has only happened to me twice over the years, and there was no problem at all returning. The problem I do have with this place is trying to sell items to them. They don’t take most clothing, and only give you pennies for what they do take. Not much better for non-clothing items. You’re better going to a different location for that. I’ve never encountered a rude employee. Please be considerate. It can get really busy on the weekend, and by mid-afternoon it’s understandable if employees are tired. But even with a steady checkout line, employees have always been friendly and helpful to me, even getting items off a high shelf. If this place could change their purchasing practice so they are more in step with other locations, I would rate them 4.5, docking a half point only because the aisles are so narrow you can only get one small cart through them. Overall, I never try to sell anything here anymore, but I do enjoy shopping here. The items are clean and in good shape. I’ve gotten many terrific deals. And I try to shop on...

First of all I should say, this place is great to buy from. Most of the time the prices are cheaper than at the nearby Savers or Goodwill, and a plus is that I know most of the items have been examined for flaws before being sold. But selling to this location, can be a huge letdown. Certain employees are very rude.

Like today, I tried to sell several totes of items. most of which were recently wiped clean and put into bags by category. The worker who looked through them, bought a lid from one toy pot, and left the pot. And bought a different pot but left me the lid. She also broke up two little sets of play dishes, including a tupperware set. There was a 4 cup tea set, and she bought all but 1 cup, and left two plates. Why do this kind of thing? The items were a set, and it was obvious. And no, none of them items were broken, or dirty. The sets were just randomly broken up and now I am left with a useless hodgepodge.

Also, depending on who looks through your items, you may or may not get a decent price for sold items. I've gotten what I felt was fair offerings before but I feel it really just depends on the workers disposition.

The store itself is cramped and often the toy section is trashed. The aisles are long and narrow, and only one cart can fit through at a time. So if you go towards the middle of an aisle, you might end up trapped there by carts on either end. You can try to squeeze by them, but clothes will come off the shelves and fall to the floor.

Not the fault of the employees, but many parents let their kids trash the toys and the toy section in general...