Back to school means big business for area retailers

Jul. 30—While many retailers rely on the holiday season for a surge in sales, Ryan Simmons eagerly awaits the hot summer months to boost the bottom line at his local consignment stores.

Simmons, co-owner of Plato's Closet in Dickson City and Wilkes-Barre Twp. and Once Upon A Child in Dickson City, noted demand for gently used clothing remains strong as consumers look to save on back-to-school threads.

Families plan to spend on average $890 for K-12 school supplies, clothing and related items for a record $41.5 billion this year, according to the National Retail Federation

Specifically, families intend to spend $12 billion on back-to-school clothing, and Simmons expects to cash in.

"Back to school continues to be what we consider our Christmas season," he said. "It's our busiest season of the year."

Seventy-seven percent of back-to-school shoppers noticed higher prices on clothing and accessories in 2023, the federation said.

Simmons feels fortunate his stores stayed recession-proof amid turbulent times and believes a few factors sparked an increase in business.

"The economy certainly helps drive it and I think, year to year, we do a better job understanding what the public is looking for," he said. "We continue to learn and grow with the community."

Phil Rist, executive vice president of strategy for Prosper Insights & Analytics, found while shoppers are spending more overall, they're hunting bargains wherever possible.

"Even though consumers plan to spend more on school- and college-related items this year, they're still looking to find the best value and deals," he said. "Consumers are stretching their dollars by comparing prices, considering off-brand or store-brand items, and are more likely to shop at discount stores than last year."

The rise of mandated school uniforms hasn't hurt sales at his businesses, Simmons said.

"We try to stock lots of khakis and collared shirts for the different schools," he said.

Simmons appreciates the ongoing support of shoppers for keeping his stores thriving.

"The community really embraced secondhand," he said. "It fits right in with the whole green movement of this generation. If people weren't bringing the great stuff in for us to buy, we wouldn't have the opportunity to resell it."

He takes pride in providing families an opportunity to purchase quality clothing at a lower price.

"I think the most important thing for us is it really levels the playing field for a lot of kids who normally wouldn't be able to wear brand-name clothing," Simmons said. "You don't know the American Eagle they have on came from a secondhand store where they paid 70% less than full retail."

Gina Perry, co-owner of Enchanted Elephant Boutique, noticed an influx of early back-to-school sales at the children's clothing store in the Green Ridge section of Scranton.

"We just started getting our back-to-school outfits in and so far, so good," Perry said. "Everybody has been asking about them. It's definitely one of our busier times between the shoes and clothes and accessories."

She hopes the return of a popular brand helps sales at the shop which offers both dressy and casual options.

"Dondolo was a very popular brand in our beginning years, but then they stopped selling wholesale," she said. "Now we have it back ... it's kind of exciting."

Enchanted Elephant, celebrating its seventh anniversary in August, increased its selection of shoes in recent years, Perry said.

Perry added the store offers clothing for newborns through size 12.

She stressed competition from online retailers and big box stores presents a constant challenge for small shops, but local support keeps them viable.

"We can't always offer the low prices you see on the back-to-school commercials for Kohl's or H&M, but I feel like we have our customers that know we sell nice, quality items and they just like the small business atmosphere," Perry said.

FlynnO'Hara Uniforms in Plains Twp. developed a strong customer base over more than two decades in business, store manager Mary Lou Bezdziecki said.

The store primarily serves families of pre-K through 12th graders who attend private and Catholic schools throughout Lackawanna and Luzerne counties — from Jessup to Hazelton, Bezdziecki said.

"We have a very long-lasting product and we see a steady flow of customers," she said. "The quality keeps them coming back."

Bezdziecki believes customers appreciate the customization experience at FlynnO'Hara.

"We still see a lot of people who come into the store for their fittings," she said. "They get to try it on in the store and they're comfortable with their sizing."

Contact the writer: [email protected]; 570-348-9131; @rtomkavage on Twitter.