Activities for Kids

Consignment Shops & Sales for Back-to-School Steals

Unleash your inner thrifter. Great deals on cute clothes and gear are waiting for you at these stores and sales around town.

By Rebecca Little August 7, 2014

Back-to-school shopping can make a serious dent in the pocketbook — the clothes, the backpacks … the everything else you never knew your kid always wanted. Good news: You can get them ready without dropping a ton of money by taking advantage of the deals at local consignment shops and resales. Cute fashions and gear abound. Click through our album to find out where to go.

Longtime Favorite: The Second Child

The lowdown: This 27-year-old consignment shop has a tony address in a Lincoln Park brownstone. You’ll climb stairs to get in, but the store provides stroller locks to secure your strollers street-side.

The merch: High-end threads for infants to size 14 come from the likes of Lilly Pulitzer, Mini Boden and Ralph Lauren, and styles are less than three years old. The maternity selection is similarly swanky, and includes items from Japanese Weekend and Mimi Maternity. Rounding out the selection is wooden toys, Thomas & Friends trains, Legos, American Girl doll accessories, and baby equipment like exer-saucers and strollers.

The deal: Items are generally priced one-third to one-half of what they would sell for new, and the consigner keeps a third of the profit. You receive payment when your merch sells. After three months, unsold items are donated to charity.

954 W. Armitage Ave., Lincoln Park ( 773-883-0880  or 2ndchild.com)

Did we miss your favorite consignment store or sale? Let us know!

— Rebecca Little