Fun finds abound at Julie's New Sensation in downtown Columbia City
(Talk of the Town photos by Jennifer Zartman Romano) Julie Weigold, above at right, with her aunt, Phyllis Hull, owns Julie's New Sensation, a consignment and second hand clothing store in downtown Columbia City. Below, the front window at Julie's New Sensation is ever changing with new merchandise. Beneath, Phyllis Hull sorts and prices a new lot of clothing for the store. At bottom, you can find a little bit of everything at Julie's New Sensation -- and the treasures found there are the reasons her customers come back time after time. A look around the store reveals a quick glimpse at what you might find.
By Nicholas Henney
Who doesn’t love the rush of finding a great deal at a garage sale?
That is a feeling Julie Weigold, owner of Julie’s New Sensation on Van Buren Street, tries to recreate in downtown Columbia City every day.
Julie’s New Sensation is a consignment store that as been located downtown for 12 years and is described by Weigold as a “year round inside garage sale.”
Taking your old clothes, knick-knacks or even old furniture to a consignment shop is like “having a garage sale with none of the work,” says Weigold.
Customers bring in their unwanted items and receive a number that corresponds with their merchandise. Weigold and her aunt then sort price and display the merchandise for 60 days.
If the items sell, the store splits half of the proceeds with the consignor. If the items don’t sell, they are donated to the Salvation Army and the local senior center.
“It’s a way to recycle and keep it in the community,” says Weigold.
Weigold says she enjoys her downtown location because of the hometown feel. Many people who work downtown shop at Julie’s New Sensation on their lunch break and her shop is within walking distance of many of the downtown apartments.
With the declining economy, Weigold says this is one of her busiest years because customers can find designer clothes at a drastic discount. In the span of 12 years, Weigold counts this as one of her busiest. People are trying to pinch their pennies any way they can and choosing not to splurge on brand new clothing is one way to do it.
Julie’s New Sensation is located on Van Buren Street across from the courthouse next to Northside Bar & Grill. The store is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.