CALGARY – Luxury clothing and accessories are flooding into some Calgary high-end consignment stores as the tide flows out of an Alberta economy racked by low oil prices.
SalvEdge Boutique on 8 Street S.W. is having its best December ever, according to store manager Jessica Carruthers.
“I think some of it definitely is due to the economic downturn.
I think there are lots of people looking for new ways to come up with some sort of additional income to offset a loss,” she said.
The discount end of the retail market is also seeing a bump up in business with some people tapped out after the Christmas spending season.
The economic uncertainty of a weak resource economy has some people pinching pennies.
“If we see any bargain-whatever it will be-we will buy it,” says customer Kala Persuade.
Persuade was shopping at Bianca Amor’s Liquidation Supercentre in southeast Calgary Tuesday.
The store specializes in low-cost merchandise ranging from paintings to pants, CDs to sports equipment.
“We are seeing more customers coming through the door,” says store manager Carleen McKinley.
“I’m not sure if it’s entirely as a result of people losing their jobs but everyone likes a bargain,” she said.
“In Calgary we have seen a bit of an increase in the past several months and that’s probably because people are looking for a better deal to spend less money to save a little bit and keep a little more in their pockets,”
Still, there are a few high-end Calgary customers who are surviving the oil downturn quite nicely.
They are willing to pay thousands of dollars even for slightly-used items.
Carruthers recently had someone bring in a Chanel handbag for resale.
It costs about $4,000 brand new, but is listed at her store for $2,600.
There have been a few enquiries about the handbag and it has only been on the shelf for two weeks.
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