Once Upon A Child Mentor — Local services in Mentor

I have shopped here a couple of times and brought A LOT of items, mainly clothes, to sell for the first time yesterday. I had 2 laundry baskets and a box full of clothes to sell. I knew not all would be purchased by the shop- some items were really worn but I figured I'd try. She did buy some items, less than a basket full is what she accepted. I was surprised because most of what she declined was name brand and in really good shape- like a brand new pair of Old Navy little girl jeans, NEW WITH TAG...she did not take those. What puzzles me is that most of what is on the racks- and I looked at sizes 5T through size 8, literally it all was SO worn, faded, practically see through from wear. I am not attempting to trash the store out of bitterness, I am being honest, and I made this observation the times I have been in there prior to selling my own items. Really I thought most of my items would sell because I have seen the old and faded items that you typically find on their racks. It just seems stupid that there is so much crap on the racks but she didn't want to buy nice clothes in good condition. Really are people buying the crap on the racks? That's what I'd like to know. I mean it was stuff that I probably wouldn't hand down from an older child to a younger child, just due to wear and fading. Oh well, certainly not the end of the world but many items I would expect the shop to really want were turned down and it makes no sense to me. So, if you are a shopper, then sure, it's worth going there to filter through the racks. If you need baby-infant-small toddler clothes then I think it's definitely worth it- same thing with the Big Red Wagon Consignment Sales- for smaller and younger kids you can find some real good buys, as younger kids, especially babies, grow so fast that many items are in like-new condition. If you are going to sell, just don't get your hopes up. They pay you 30% of what they'd sell the item for, and they say they sell items for 50% off the new/retail price. If an item would retail for $10, they say they'll sell it for $5, therefore you'd receive $1.50. So you're likely not going to get paid a large sum of money, but if you have clothes to get rid of and you need instant cash then it's worth a try, but be prepared to wait awhile while they filter through your items (if you brought a lot) and don't expect to get paid a lot. Honestly you can probably make more in a garage sale or selling at Big Red Wagon, but then again those options aren't instant cash or guaranteed sales. Overall, not overly impressed with the store or the owner but you never know what you will find there, and at least you get paid cash instantly for any items they are willing to...

I had a lot of issues with my last encounter and I will not be returning. I brought 3 bins of clothing in - one bin with infant clothes newborn - 9 months. The other two were 4T-6x. I called prior to bringing everything in (since it was A LOT) and was told they were looking for winter infant and all 4T-6x. I spent a lot of time folding to their liking and sorting though imperfections and seasons so they only needed to look through what they asked for.

Now, had the clothing I actually brought in been anything other than good condition, off season, or not desirable brands... sure, send me home with 3 full tubs of clothing. Out of those three tubs, all of which include clothes from Justice, Abercrombie, Old Navy, Target, North Face - I was given $20.

If you are not truly looking to buy anything that you informed me of over the phone, you should be honest with your sellers as it's a waste of our time as well to lug all of this into your store. My time is valuable and you wasted it by not even looking through them. There's photos to prove that. As well as a BRAND NEW North Face Jacket still slipped on the side of one of the bins. I can't imagine you wouldn't have resold that if you had actually looked through.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe in the past when I have sold to you - the amount of "in house credit" vs. the amount of cash you received was different. Today, after reclaiming my clothes, and lots of time spent in your store trying on dresses with a very picky child, you did not offer me in store credit. You asked if I wanted to trade and never gave me the option or dollar amount.

I received a receipt from you and had hoped that it gave me some kind of information on what you actually bought from me. Now shame on me for not asking while I was there, but I'd like to know exactly what you took out of the bins and what the dollar amount was received per item.

I will be reselling the clothing myself now and have to wonder if you're not buying what you say you're buying because of the increase in accessibility to online selling. Just a thought.

The only reason my review receives 2 stars instead of 1 is because two of my daughters left with a smile on their face. As a mom of girls with polar opposite taste, two smiles leaving one store with new clothes...

Very disappointing and disrespectful experience at Once Upon a Child.

During my visit, the cashier spoke to me in a rude and condescending tone. When I didn’t understand the question she asked, I asked her to repeat it and she did so with clear attitude. Then she looked at both of my daughters and made a nasty face that was completely inappropriate and unprofessional.

I calmly brought the situation to the owner’s attention, but instead of listening or showing concern, she immediately took the employee’s side. She didn’t want to hear my side of the story and quickly flipped the narrative to make it seem like I was the problem. Sadly, this kind of dismissive treatment happens far too often when you’re a Black woman simply trying to advocate for yourself.

The owner tried to excuse the employee’s behavior by saying she’s a teacher, as if that justified how I was treated. I reminded her: I am an adult, not a child, and respect goes both ways.

To make matters worse, I had just spent $110 in that store only to be treated with disrespect and disregard. When I asked if there was a corporate office to contact, the owner claimed it was a “privately owned store” and that no corporate oversight existed. However, after doing my own research, I discovered that Once Upon a Child is a franchise under Winmark Corporation and oversight does, in fact, exist.

If you plan to shop at this location, pay close attention to how you’re treated. It seems acceptable for them to speak to customers however they please, but when you respond in the same tone while trying to explain yourself respectfully, you’re labeled aggressive.

I will not be returning. I truly hope Winmark Corporation holds its franchise owners to a higher standard of professionalism, accountability, and...