Once Upon A Child Opens Up For Sales Of Gently Used Kid’s Products

By Bonnie Mason

Wesley Chapel residents Brian and Melissa Levering are betting on the families in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area — betting that those families are ready to clear their closets, garages and storage spaces of items their children have outgrown, in return for cash!

On August 1, the Leverings opened Once Upon A Child, a children’s consignment shop, in New Tampa’s Pebble Creek Collection shopping plaza, located on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., a mile south of the Pasco County line. The 3,500-sq.-ft. retail space is a place where families can buy, sell or trade gently used children’s clothing (from infants to pre-teen), toys and equipment. The Pebble Creek location is just one of five Once Upon A Child franchises in the Tampa Bay area, with 260 stores located across the U.S. and Canada.

“We are excited to move into phase two of our business, in which we can start to sell our inventory to families at a significantly reduced cost, well below retail prices,” says Brian, who explains that since opening the business, the store’s focus has been on purchasing items from area residents to build the store’s inventory.

“I think families will be happy with what we have to offer them,” Brian says. “The response has been astounding!”

The Leverings live in Wesley Chapel with their five-year-old son Brody and one-year-old daughter Mila, and understand that raising a young family is costly in any economy, but especially when money is tight, when most everyone welcomes the chance to make or save money — or both. With Once Upon A Child, your kids can look great in the latest styles without having to pay those high-end designer prices.

The Leverings are sure you will be happy with their selection of the latest in new and gently used brand name clothes, toys, books, equipment and furniture, just right for fast-growing babies, toddlers and kids. And, because Once Upon A Child purchases items from customers daily, the store’s inventory is always changing, which is why the Leverings recommend browsing the store often, especially if you’re searching for items of a specific brand.

You will find gently used name brand clothing like Gap, Gymboree, Hanna Anderson, Justice and Tommy Hilfiger, to name just a few, from infant and toddler sizes, up to size 16 for girls and boys’ sizes 18-20. And, Once Upon A Child also has all the toy brands your kids know and love, including Fisher Price, Leap Frog and Lego, in addition to the best brands in infant products, such as swings, bouncers, entertainers and strollers.

“I had to travel to Northdale in Carrollwood to sell my son’s clothing and toys when I learned I was having a girl with my second pregnancy,” Melissa explains. Already having decided to open a family business, Melissa and Brian then decided that families like theirs needed a resale business for children’s items closer to the New Tampa/ Wesley Chapel area.

Melissa spent nine years working as a clinical researcher for a local orthopaedic physician group before turning her full attention to this new business. Brian helps out when he is not busy with his long-time full-time job as a medical salesman.

“And, since Once Upon A Child is the nation’s leading buyer and seller of name-brand, new and gently used kids stuff, opening a franchise just made sense for us,” Brian explains. “We felt that their business model was one of the best out there for us, considering the demographics of our community.”

 How Does It Work?

No appointment is necessary to sell items at Once Upon A Child; just bring your items into the store during normal store business hours and you will walk out with cash, or if you prefer, you can trade your items for other items in the store.

When you arrive, the staff will sort through your items and choose which items Once Upon A Child would like to purchase from you. Items will not be purchased if they show too much wear, have untreatable stains or if toys and equipment are damaged or have battery corrosion. Another reason Once Upon A Child may not buy your items is if they have an overabundance of that specific item already in the store’s inventory.

It’s important to note that some items also won’t be purchased from customers if they’ve been recalled by the manufacturer. And, Melissa notes that all gently used infant equipment, including strollers, entertainers, bassinets and infant and children’s toys go through a safety check prior to being purchased.

“We enter the item and its model number into a company database which lets us know if an item has been recalled by the manufacturer,” she says.

Unlike purchasing used baby gear, furniture and toys at a garage sale or online auction, parents can be confident that items purchased at Once Upon A Child are safe for their children. Sellers will even receive an offer from Once Upon A Child after the items are entered into a database that generates a computerized quote based on current market conditions.

Generally, while the staff is sifting through items to determine the ones that meet Once Upon A Child’s standards, sellers can spend time browsing the store. It also is a good time to take advantage of the tax-free trading available at the store.

“I think Once Upon A Child is great for the community, given that the area is a big destination for families,” says Nikki Murphy, shift lead at Once Upon A Child. “Ultimately, the store will allow local people to shop close to home and save money; and it brings something new and exciting to the area — a store run by a family for families. It’s a warm, inviting environment, where people are encouraged to sell and shop and interact. Working in a family-run business makes the job less a job and more a gift to work with people I care for and about.”

 New, Too!

Although most items in the store are used, Once Upon A Child does sell some new items, too.

“We have great hair bows, tutus, sippy cups, Melissa & Doug children’s toys, and other popular children’s products that are in our new item category,” says Melissa. All of the new items in the inventory come from an approved vendor list provided by the Once Upon A Child corporate entity, which helps all franchisees purchase from viable companies.

“It’s hard to find gently used boys clothing- — we all know what they do to their clothes!,” says Andrea, a Once Upon A Child customer. “I always have the best luck at Once Upon A Child. From shoes to winter coats, it’s like a treasure hunt with a guaranteed prize at the end!”

Once Upon A Child is located at 19651 BBD in the Pebble Creek Collection. Store hours are Monday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Sundays noon – 5 p.m. on Sundays. For more information call 388.2985, visit their website at OnceUponAChildWesleyChapel.com or visit them on Facebook.com.