by Marcus Kellis [Link]

…Storm opened The Storm Cellar, a consignment and local goods shop, on Moscow’s Main Street in mid-November. For months beforehand he and his wife, Laura, accumulated clothing, along with some vinyl records and housewares, to populate the store. Besides that, they’ve been using Facebook, Twitter and their own Web site for promotion even in advance of the store’s opening.

While he was in college, Austin Storm wore a different necktie every day, a habit that came to an end when he no longer had to dress up regularly.

“For a couple of years, I accumulated ties indiscriminately, and now it’s time to say goodbye,” he said. “I’ve got enough idiosyncracies. I don’t need to be the guy that wears a different tie everyday.”

Storm opened The Storm Cellar, a consignment and local goods shop, on Moscow’s Main Street in mid-November. For months beforehand he and his wife, Laura, accumulated clothing, along with some vinyl records and housewares, to populate the store. Besides that, they’ve been using Facebook, Twitter and their own Web site for promotion even in advance of the store’s opening.

Storm said people had brought in things every day the store has been open so far. They’re generally looking for brand-name items from within the last four years or “really crazy, vintage stuff.”

“We definitely have some stuff you can’t get anywhere else in Moscow,” he said.

The Storm Cellar occupies a niche previously lacking in Moscow – that of the clothing-centric consignment shop. The store’s business model is more appropriate than some others for the current economic climate – “we didn’t have to spend $50,000 on clothes,” Storm said – and consequently the overhead is less than other stores’ might be. They also accept handmade items, such as those knit or crocheted, for sale.

“We started looking for store management software, and we actually ended up – my brother-in-law and I, both computer science wonks – (developing) our own system,” Storm said. “If you bring something in on consignment, when it sells you’ll automatically get an e-mail letting you know you have money in the store, or we’ll mail you a check at the end of the month if it’s over $25.”

Consigned goods are split down the middle, with 50 percent of the selling price each to the owner and the store. For handmade goods, The Storm Cellar takes a smaller cut, 40 percent.

“We want to give people as much as (we can), because they’re making the business possible,” Storm said.

Storm uses the store’s Web site to advertise new and interesting goods at the store. Some of his recent Twitter updates express consternation over a Members Only jacket having been purchased (“I was really torn up to see it go”) and Storm having recognized his first knock-off.

The Storm Cellar will have its grand opening Friday. Its hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

As for the neckties, Storm said he’s thinking about a frequent-buyer card.
“Buy nine ties, tenth one’s free,” he said.

New Moscow consignment shop brings hip vibe downtown

by Omie Drawhorn, Daily News staff writer

Austin and Laura Storm have always thrived on the thrill of the hunt.

In their case, the Moscow residents are in search of the perfect tie or skirt to add to their closets.

“I prefer to buy secondhand and find something unique,” Laura said.

Austin agreed. “There’s something serendipitous about the thrill of the hunt for something at a yard sale or a thrift store,” he said.

There is more to it than going to a store like Old Navy and picking out a sweater that half the people on the Palouse will be wearing, he said. The two have always loved the vibe of consignment shops in bigger cities, like Buffalo Exchange, and their dream has been to open up their own consignment shop with a similar atmosphere.

They opened up The Storm Cellar in downtown Moscow last weekend and will have a grand opening Dec. 2 during Moscow’s Holiday Parade.

The long, narrow space is the former Pita Pit space at 212 S. Main St. and includes a variety of men’s and women’s clothing, knick knacks. It eventually will include children’s clothing.

The Storms have spruced up the space, which will eventually include fitting rooms, and Austin and his friends refinished the hardwood floors one Saturday.

Knick knacks sit on a greenish blue shabby chic book shelf.

The knick knacks are cute but quirky like a rhinoceros-shaped butter dish, paper crane shaped soy sauce container, typewriters and other items, and will soon be joined by some new gift items the Storms plan on carrying in their store.

Austin moved to the area five years ago to attend New Saint Andrews College and Laura has lived in the area for the past 15 years.

Opening up a consignment shop had been on their life list since they met and in May, they decided to go for it.

“I yard-saled a ton,” Laura said, “Friends and a bunch of people also brought me stuff.”

They looked for a space over the summer and then started to revamp the location the second week of October.

“There was nothing like this in Moscow,” Austin said.

There are thrift stores, and Pullman has consignment shops, but they wanted to bring out a different feel.

Within the first three days of opening, the Storms said they already have 40 consignors.

Laura said she is selective with the clothing she chooses to carry in the store.

All secondhand clothing must be name brand and either within three years old or a vintage item.

“That’s my favorite part, going through stuff,” she said.

Not taking some of the items for herself has taken some willpower, and sometimes the Storms say its hard to part with them.

The Storms said they also eventually would like to sell local arts and crafts at the store.

“A girl I know is making button bracelets,” she said, “We’re looking for small, affordable local art.”

They also are planning on having an art opening with work inspired by classic children’s stories like Pippi Longstocking and Hansel and Gretel.

The Storms said that the average price for a clothing item is between $10-12 and items are usually marked at one-third to one-half of their original cost. Consignors get 50 percent of the price and are entered into a computerized system.

Consignors are alerted by email when their item is sold.

So far clientele hasn’t included many college students, but the two say they look forward to bringing them and their gently used clothing into the shop.

If you haven’t stopped by, come check us out! We’re open 10-6 Tuesday through Saturday. We’re closing Thursday and Friday next week for Thanksgiving. Also, mark your calendars for December 2nd – our Grand Opening celebration!

You can listen two ways. I’ve posted the entire show as one file you can download, or you can play individual sections from the show using the players below.

The David Jerusalem Show
10-27-09 | edited down to 27:09 running time | Download mp3

or the same thing in smaller sections:

Section 1: Introductions
[audio:http://www.moscowstormcellar.com/downloads/q1-introductions.mp3]

Section 2: What made you want to start the store?
[audio:http://www.moscowstormcellar.com/downloads/q2-whatmadeyoustart.mp3]

Section 3: What does Laura bring?
[audio:http://www.moscowstormcellar.com/downloads/q3-lauraadds.mp3]

Section 4: Where did you find your inventory?
[audio:http://www.moscowstormcellar.com/downloads/q4-wheredoyoufindstuff.mp3]

Section 5: Social media and community support.
[audio:http://www.moscowstormcellar.com/downloads/q5-socialmediacommunitysupport.mp3]

Section 6: Art show, new housewares, and furniture.
[audio:http://www.moscowstormcellar.com/downloads/q6-arthousewaresfurniture.mp3]

Section 7: Wrap-up.
[audio:http://www.moscowstormcellar.com/downloads/q7-wrapup.mp3]

Today we signed a lease on this building:

The street level of the building located Beginning at a point 15 feet, 1½ inches North of the Southwest corner of lot 3, in Block 2 of the original town of Moscow, as shown by the recorded plat thereof; running thence North from said beginning point 14 feet, 5 inches; running East 50 feet; running North 2 inches; running thence East 24 feet, 8 inches; running thence South 4½ inches; running thence East 19 feet, 3½ inches; running thence North 6 inches, running thence East 31 feet, ½ inches; running thence South 14 feet, 8½ inches; running thence West 125 feet to the point of beginning, records of Latah County, Idaho.

Whew, that’s a mouthful. It’s otherwise known as 212 S Main Street, the old Pita Pit building. We’re really thrilled, because now the real work can begin. There are floors to finish, walls to paint, fixtures to assemble, clothes to tag, grand openings to plan…

Keep watching this space for regular updates… we’ll be posting more often, starting with the ‘Before’ pictures.

Image Source: xkcd

“Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do, or Do Without!” is based on a World War II marketing slogan. It encompasses some of the Storm Cellar attitude – standing against the disposability and “planned obsolescence” of our modern consumer culture.

“Peachy Green” – we’re green, but not strident about it. We think being green is not about self-denial, it’s about eating better tasting produce and finding old items instead of buying new.

“Let’s Get Ready to Jumble?” – a jumble is a UK term for a rummage sale. We’re a bit classier than your normal rummage sale, but still have the ‘joy of discovery’ that comes from having a wide variety of stuffs.

“Idaho’s Second Most Interesting Store” – Tri-State is a local general retail store. Their motto is “Idaho’s Most Interesting Store” (or as Lucy puts it, “What’s that store? Y’know, the Weirdest Store in Texas?”), and I think a tongue-in-cheek tribute is in order.

Which are your favorites? Do you have any other suggestions?

[poll id="2"]