More than 2,000 bargain hunters are expected to show up this weekend at the Waco Convention Center, 100 Washington Ave., for the Just Between Friends consignment sale.

Experts say selling on consignment is an industry that has enjoyed a growth of 35 percent in the past year.

The Just Between Friends sale, which opened to the public Friday, continues through 3 p.m. Sunday. People can bring in used items and split the revenue between themselves and the event’s operators.

Waco resident Courtney Carter looks through toddler shirts Friday at the Just Between Friends consignment sale at the Waco Convention Center, which runs until 3 p.m. Sunday.
Duane A. Laverty/Tribune-Herald

Sales are held twice a year. Waco, meanwhile, also is home to nearly two dozen resale shops.

The businesses sell anything from antique collectibles to wedding gowns, and baby bibs to cribs and toys.

According to the National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops, the industry is seemingly recession-proof and tends to thrive in an economic downturn. The appeal is two-fold — consumers get merchandise cheaper and can make money from their used items.

Stuffed animals are piled high on a table at the Just Between Friends consignment sale at the Waco Convention Center Friday.
Duane A. Laverty/Waco Tribune-Herald

“We have been just slammed,” said Monica Mathis, owner of Amelia’s Fashion Exchange in the Central Texas Marketplace. “We’ve been taking in 800 to 1,000 items a day.

“We do really well, whether it’s a good economy or a bad economy. People are always looking for a good deal.”

Brittani Shoukletovich, a manager at Smarty Pants children’s and maternity consignment shop, 5301 Bosque Blvd., said the store has more than 6,000 consignors.

“Our business has grown immensely,” she said. “We’ve had to double our size and we still need more room.”

equinn@wacotrib.com

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Knowing the difference

According to the National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops, there are differences between resale, thrift and consignment stores.

Resale shop: A store with merchandise purchased outright from individual owners.

Thrift shop: A store run by a nonprofit organization to raise money for charitable causes. Nonprofits can obtain merchandise through donations or consignment.

Consignment shop: A store that pays the owners of merchandise a percentage when the items are sold. The majority of shops pay 40-60 percent of the selling price and have a policy of displaying goods for anywhere from 30 to 90 days.