Welcome to Plato’s Closet in Barrhaven
Written by Kayla Randall
Shopping for clothes can be a hassle. Some people love it, some people hate it. You might love to shop, but you might not love the look of your bank account at the end of it all. And the brands in the mall can get expensive, especially higher-end brands like Aritzia, Lulu Lemon, and Urban Outfitters. Malls are always busy and overcrowded and you end up spending much more than you bargained for. (Plus, it’s always hard to avoid the food court. Hello, Manchu Wok!)
But what if there was a place where you could get those brand names that you’re drooling over for a fraction of the retail price? Not only that, but a place where you could sell the clothes you don’t wear anymore and get cash up front for them?
Not joking, it exists.
Welcome to Plato’s Closet in Barrhaven.
What We’re About:
At Plato’s Closet, we buy your new and gently used clothing items for cash on the spot. Bring in the gently worn items you don’t wear anymore, the things that just aren’t getting their fair share of attention, or even the perfume you got for Christmas that isn’t quite your style. We’ll give you cash up front for your items, and if you find something you like in-store, you can do a trade. Sometimes, if you bring in enough items, we end up still owing you money after the trade. And a little cash is always nice, right?
Plato’s buys all seasons, all the time, all day, every day, and there’s no appointment necessary. Literally just walk through the door and one of our certified buyers will sign you in and give you a time estimate. You can drop your clothes at the desk and browse the store while we take a look.
At the end of the season, instead of boxing up your clothes for storage or donating everything, bring them to us and you might just get a bit of cash in exchange!
For your first visit, we ask for a bit of personal information, just so we can put you into our system as a customer and make your return visits that much easier. A buyer will explain the process and answer any questions you might have.
It’s totally optional, but if you sign up for Vicinity our loyalty program, you can get exclusive special offers and coupons sent straight to your cell phone.
How It Works:
While you browse (or run errands), a certified buyer will go through your items and find pieces we think would sell well in Plato’s Closet. We enter the items into our computer system, and based on the condition, brand, retail price, and popularity, the computer will help us generate a quote.
While you browse (or run errands), a certified buyer will go through your items and find pieces we think would sell well in Plato’s Closet. We enter the items into our computer system, and based on the condition, brand, retail price, and popularity, the computer will help us generate a quote.
Now, it’s completely up to you whether or not you want to take the quote we offer. If you want to take even one item back, we can edit the quote and offer you another one! If you decide to take the offer, we’ll give you cash on the spot, or we can do a trade, like I mentioned before. Also, if you choose to drop your things off and leave the store, we will send you an automated text message when we’re finished with your buy and you can come pick it up before we close that night. Isn’t technology great?!
We ask that you bring in you items freshly laundered and folded in a basket, box, recyclable bag. Here’s a hint, buyers will often pass on wrinkled items, so putting them in a structured bag (like the ones you get from Victoria’s Secret or Aritzia), laundry bin, or storage box after washing them increases your chances of selling items!
We take beauty products too! Bath and Body Works, Victoria’s Secret, The Body Shop, and anything else you might have that didn’t come from the drugstore! If the bottle is at least 75% full, bring it in. We’ll take a look for you and potentially take it off your hands! Plato’s also accepts new and used jewelry (with the exception of earrings – we can only take those if they’re brand new!) as well as purses, shoes, and all other accessories!
Essentially, anything you’ve got that you think fits our criteria, bring it on in and we’ll take a look for you!
What We Look For:
Plato’s Closet is a store for teens and young adults, so we’re looking for items that would appeal to that audience. Brands like Aritzia, American Eagle, Hollister, Forever 21, Zara, and Lulu Lemon are some of the brands that do the best in our store!
More specifically, we’re looking for items that you bought from these stores in the last 12-18 months! Unfortunately, we won’t be able to take the items you bought back in 2010, but there are exceptions to every rule! Styles do come and go, so if there’s an item we see that we know would do super well in the store, but is a little bit out of our range, we may take it anyway!
When we go through your items, we’re checking to make sure everything is in sellable condition. That means no holes, stains, pulled seams, or pilling (which is when you wash your sweaters and they get those little balls stuck to the fabric).
Pricing:
At Plato’s, we sell items for 50 to 70% off of the retail price, and the cash you receive for your items will be 30 to 40% of the price we resell your item for. Higher end items (like Michael Kors and Kate Spade, which sell super-fast and are super-popular at Plato’s) are priced higher and may get you even more cash!
Social Media:
We’re very lucky at Plato’s Closet with the items that we get in! Our customers bring in amazing items every day and we’re often left in awe at some of the things that come through the door. And we want to share them with our customers, obviously. And what better way to do that than through social media! We have Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts that are updated on the DAILY with items that are available for you to purchase!
Our talented team models clothing and shows off accessories, and we’re pretty good at it! Every picture is taken and edited by us. If you see an item that catches your eye, give us a call and we can give you some more information about it and put it on hold for you!
Instagram: @platosclosetbarrhaven
Twitter: @platosbarrhaven
Facebook: Plato’s Closet – Barrhaven
On the Web: Plato’s Closet Barrhaven
Upcoming Events:
November 26th is the day that Plato’s Closet Barrhaven is doing Black Friday! The 26th is actually a Saturday, so we’re calling it White Saturday. Over the last six months or so, we’ve been collecting all the items that come into Plato’s with the retail tags still attached, waiting for this event to put them on the floor! There are so many amazing items going out, and all at least 50% off of the retail price! Make sure you check it out for great Christmas ideas!
More Information:
For more information, you can call the store at 613-825-2765, and one of our Team Members can answer any questions you might have, or come into the store and talk to us face to face!
We’re located at 80 Marketplace Ave. in the Chapman Mills Marketplace beside the Laurier Optical, across the street from the Walmart. Hope to see you soon!
