You want to go shopping but to do so, you need support both finically and physically because your closet is busting at the seams (pun intended). By the time you set aside hours to pick through your wardrobe / personal overstock.com and shlep your stuff to a consignment shop, you’re in a bad mood and ready to give it all away to a man on the street.
Enter Lindsay Segal and Brielle Buchberg, the founders of Chicago’s Luxury Garage Sale, an upscale consignment service specializing in selling new and gently used designer clothing. If you live in Chicago, they will come to your house and do the digging for you. If live outside of the windy city, they offer free UPS pickup (how enticing is that?)
Oh! Also, all unsold or rejected merchandise is given to charity so that whole “go back and pick up your unsold clothes step” is gone. Read more on how these two ladies started Luxury Garage Sale and their big news….(hint: it involves a store opening!)
What is Luxury Garage Sale? We are an upscale consignment service specializing in selling new and gently used designer clothing and accessories. We offer free in-person pick-ups to clients in the Chicagoland area and free UPS pick-ups to those outside of Chicago. We then sell the items either on eBay or in our new showroom opening later this fall. For higher priced items such as designer handbags, we work with our clients on setting pricing reserves so there is no risk of the item selling for too low. We pride ourselves on excellent customer service.
How did Luxury Garage Sale come about? I was a corporate event planner at UBS prior to starting LGS. My grandparents were retiring from their home interiors/antique store and I was helping them by selling their remaining inventory on eBay. I became hooked to selling and one thing led to another…
What was the biggest challenge of making a dream a reality? Taking the leap of faith! Leaving a full time corporate job with benefits and a steady paycheck was nerve wrecking. But we trusted our gut, and went with it!
What was the personal motivation behind launching Luxury Garage? I had sold my own items through various other services and was never satisfied with the customer service or return on my investments. That combined with my new addiction to selling and Lindsay’s background in fashion lead to us to deciding to start Luxury Garage Sale.
As a customer, what do you think is the number one thing that sets Luxury Garage Sale apart?
- We take the lowest cut in Chicago.
- We really focus on client services. We see a lot of clients who have been burned by other consignment services, so we try to help them view consigning in a positive light.
- We set pricing restrictions on client’s higher priced items, so there is no risk for them. We pride ourselves as being a risk-free consignment service. We also sell through both eBay and our store.
What is the best piece you’ve scored on Luxury Garage? We are always excited about Birkins and classic Chanel bags but the unique vintage items are what get Lindsay and I most excited.
You go to someone’s houses. Do most people who have you come over have a pile ready for you? Most people have items set aside. However, we often consult with our clients on items they are unsure of. We love spending the day in other people’s closet.
Who decides what stays and what goes and how? We focus on premier designer and contemporary brands that you would find at a high-end department store. Style and wear also come into play when determining if an item is sellable or not. We want to be proud of every item we sell. If a client were to send an item we could not sell, we would offer to send it back or donate it on their behalf.
How big is your team? What has been the most important roles to fill when growing? In just a few weeks we will be a full time team of 11 plus at least 4 interns at all times. Each and every role is vital to our growth and success!
What has been the most exciting moment for Luxury Garage Sale? The decision to open a brick and mortar store.
What’s next for you guys? Right now we are really focused on opening our store. We designed every aspect of it and are so excited to finally open to the public.
What are your top favorite places to shop in Chicago?
What are your top favorite places to shop online? Shopbop and Net-a-porter.
What is the last item of clothing / accessory you purchased for fall? A beautiful vintage Chanel cuff!
What are your top favorite restaurants in Chicago? Nightwood. They change their menu daily!
