Community Corner
Corner Shop in La Grange Reopens with New Look and Model
The former consignment store on Calendar Court is now operating as an expansion of the Carousel Shop, with several new offerings and cheaper prices.
La Grange’s Corner Shop has a new look, a new business model, new merchandise and even a new smell.
Corner Shop just completed a two-week renovation and has reopened with a different approach, selling exclusively donated items, including used books and furniture—hence the new wood smell.
“I think that, especially in this economy, it functions better for customers,” said manager Lisa Carullo. “It makes better business sense for us: We can raise more money for Community Nurse, [and] our prices are lower.”
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Along with sister store the Carousel Shop, two doors down on Calendar Court, the Corner Shop is a fundraising outlet for the nearby Community Nurse Health Center which provides medical services for people with limited resources.
Formerly, Carousel was the thrift store, while Corner sold on consignment—now, the sister stores operate identically, just with a different selection and storefront.
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Over the month of January, volunteers tore up the Corner Shop’s “terrible” old carpet, flattened an annoying riser on one side of the store, booted out all the consignment items, and brought in book racks and furniture that had been donated.
The reboot has already been successful. In its first week back, Carullo said, Corner Shop sold a third of the furniture in the store—and this during what is normally a retail lull period of the year. (They’re reloading from storage and will have more selections in the shop by the time you read this.)
The store is now willing to pick up furniture from donors homes, having deputized a truck for one day a week.
“In the past, we turned down a lot of people who wanted to donate furniture,” Carullo said. “I’d like for people to know that, gently used furniture, we’re happy to pick it up.”
The store is hosting a grand reopening all day Thursday (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.) More information is available on the Community Nurse website.
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