Reviewed October 20, 2013
Ah, fall. There is simply no better time, IMHO, to shop thrift and designer consignment for all the yummy cold-weather castoff's from well-heeled and generous women's closets. It's heavenfor this Donut Queen, especially if I find some place that always seems to have a fresh new crop of better-label merchandise to explore every time I go in there. This fall, that place for me has been Clothes Mentor in Edina.
I LOVE this store, for many reasons. First, it's located on France Ave., right down the street from Southdale and in the same strip mall as the Whole Foods where I shop, and second, because it's in Edina, and let's just say they have a bigger slew of higher-end donations in this part of town..
I was actually at Clothes Mentor TWICE this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday, that's how much fun I was having. On Saturday, I picked up a luscious, camel-colored Ralph by Ralph Lauren shearling vest for fourteen dollars that is beyond cozy to wear and - wait for this - a North Face - yes, THE North Face - fleece pullover, in perfect condition, for eight bucks. On Sunday, I found some like-new Gap basics and a lovely DKNY sweater, for around thirty bucks total.
(To be fair, when I came back on Sunday hollering to any employee who would listen that I'd purchased a North Face top there the day before for eight dollars, they all graciously congratulated me but said that that piece was almost certainly mismarked. So while they do get North Face here, apparently due to a pricing error I got uncommonly lucky with my purchase.)
Still, their prices, while not Salvation Army low, are extremely reasonable given the styles and condition of the merchandise. The shop is clean and roomy and, though not high-end couture, still carries everything from J. Crew to Ralph Lauren to Citizens of Humanity and all kinds of great brands in between. Everything I saw on the racks was clean, expertly pressed and sanely organized for customers according to size, subsize, color and category. It's very easy to find what you are looking for here, which is one of my pet peeves about the Salvation Army-type stores. I hate having to try to find my size in row after row of jeans just pushed onto the racks unorganized. It's such a pleasure to be able to go right up and find my size without hassle, even if doing so costs me slightly more than $4.99 a for pair of Gap 1969's.
Do they carry Dooney & Bourke and Coach bags? Yes. I know because I've sold some of mine there. When you sell with them, you get cash on the spot, as opposed to waiting for a consignment sale. You might get slightly less than if you sell for consignment somewhere else, but you don't have to wait for your item to sell to get paid, and compared to the jack-sh*t returns some places give you on your used clothing (ahem, Plato's Closet), you'll get a fair price here if your stuff is in tip-top condition.
So if you're in the area and you need some new fall threads on a budget, I highly recommend the Edina Clothes Mentor. You 'll probably catch me there, hunting for more North Face stuff or chatting with my new employee friend Ashley, who loves to talk fashion and will bend over backwards to help you. And when you're finished, you can trot across the parking lot to Whole Foods and make a healthy snack of all the free Saturday and Sunday samples they have out. Who said you have to spend big Edina bucks to rock Edina? Not you, sista.
Clothes Mentor
7585 France Ave, S.
Edina, MN 55435
952-831-3350
www.clothesmentor.com
