Nicole Lee • Staff writer • February 19, 2009 PERINTON &mdash An upcoming consignment event is offering parents a chance to buy discounted used
items for their little ones and perhaps even make a few bucks in the process. Consignors will gather at the Fairport Veterans of Foreign Wars post for three days next month during the Tot Exchange to sell highchairs, strollers, toys and, of course, clothes for toddlers and young children. Shannon Evans and her husband, Duane, of Perinton are the parents of 7-month-old daughter, Blake, and have experienced firsthand the expense of caring for a child who has outgrown several outfits. And items needed to feed and transport a toddler are pricey, too, said Shannon Evans, 29. The couple sold some things online that they didn’t use anymore, but they wanted to host an event that will allow parents to buy and sell items outside of cyberspace. “(Blake’s) definitely an inspiration for the sale,” said Shannon Evans. “Moms are so thrilled that I’m bringing this into Fairport.” Evans said a new highchair can cost $150 to $200 and a child will use it for only about six months. A highchair could go for about $15 at the Tot Exchange. A three-pack of pajamas can cost $15 at some retailers, but a gently used pair will cost about $2 at the sale. So far, about 25 consignors have signed on. Evans &mdash and Tot Exchange creator Jayda Grant of Charlotte, N.C., &mdash are stay-at-home moms and advised vendors to think about what they would want to pay for an item and set their prices accordingly.
“The economy is in complete turmoil …,” Evans said. “It’s my effort to bring a community event to Fairport to help moms. It’s a good cause.” Grant, 31, who has three children younger than 5, started the Tot Exchange in 2006 after shopping at a similar event a year before that ultimately relocated from Charlotte. After hosting three small Tot Exchange events in Charlotte, Grant said each one drew about 50 shoppers, and the number of consignors increased each time.