Local seamstress opens dress consignment

TIFFIN – Local seamstress and owner of The Secret Seamstress, 120 ½ S. Washington St. Suite 215, Tiffin, Jenny Hale has announced that she is bringing dress consignment to her business. Hale, who moved to Tiffin a year and a half ago, opened The Secret Seamstress last July and has seen much success from everyday fixes to formal fittings and alterations. Previously, she owned and operated Alterations Etc. in St. Clairsville and started an attached dress consignment business which ran for 4 years. "It boomed," Hale said. "There was nothing like it in the region so, of course, it became a popular venue to buy/sell dresses worn only once. Shoppers could see the benefit in purchasing a 'once worn gown' because it decreases the cost of the dress drastically! For some, their special event is for a new gown to shine and sparkle, for others it's a night they will wear the dress once, enjoy it, but won't get attached to it; they would rather pay a fraction of the retail price than new." Consignment is when a person puts their dress in a shop, lists their price and splits the purchase price with the shop owner, in this case with Dress Again Consignment. She said another option for reselling dresses will be for people to advertise their gown in the shop for $10 a month for three months minimum and collect the full asking price upon sale. Hale said she sees the advantage to this option being that dress owners and shoppers get to avoid the "awkwardness" of advertising online and that it is safer than meeting up at someone's home. However, a drawback is that people are paying cash upfront without knowing if a dress will sell. A remedy to this problem is that people can still post their dresses online and can list the location as Dress Again Consignment. This way, shoppers can try the dresses on at their leisure, Hale said. "I have always loved working on dresses - that's what I started out learning alterations with. Having the tailoring/alterations business first gives shoppers the confidence to purchase a dress and know they don't have the stress of finding a seamstress, since they are very far and few between. I am here to accommodate the needs and suggest alteration possibilities for the dress they want!" Hale hopes that consignment takes off to the point that her space is "bursting at the seams". "I LOVE my suite in the Laird Building, but my future goal is that I can have a storefront on the ground floor and have mannequins that line the front picture windows that draws out the excitement of, if not buying a dress, at least a fun window-shopping experience!" Consignment services are available now. Dress Again Consignment will display and advertise via The Secret Seamstress Facebook page and The Secret Seamstress website: www.TheSecretSeamstress2023.com The Secret Seamstress and Dress Again Consignment is located on the second floor of the Laird Arcade, 120 ½ S. Washington St. Suite 215, Tiffin. For questions or more information, you can contact the businesses at 419-608-8074. Walk-in Business Hours 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays Gown fittings are by appointment only.