Divine Consign is a higher-end consignment store that carries gently used furniture and other home décor located in Downtown Vancouver. During this time of year, the shop becomes a popular place to look for Christmas decorations as well.
Divine Consign is run by volunteers, including an interior designer, furniture appraisers and an event coordinator. The funds raised are donated to charity – Divine Consign has given donations to 220 nonprofits. They give out $100,000 annually in cash, furniture, and clothing.
The executive director of Divine Consign is Linda Glover. She has been very involved with the Downtown Vancouver area for a number of years.
“Thirteen years ago, it was not a very robust place,” Glover said.
Since 2005, Glover has been on the Vancouver Downtown Association (VDA) Board of Directors and is currently the President.
In 1997, a group of executive directors came together to create a Holiday Shop, a seasonal holiday gift and décor retail store run by community volunteers from a donated space in the old J.C. Penneys building. Then in 2005, the Board decided to open Divine Consign, a year-round consignment store operated by volunteers – a store where the community could consign or donate gently used furniture.
For potential buyers, the furniture at Divine Consign is about half of what it was originally and it’s clean, well-made furniture.
“You may find a unique piece you’ve always wanted,” Glover said.
The space at Divine Consign is also used for fundraising events, such as this past November’s Tea Among the Trees.
The space has also been used for dinner parties and fashion shows with a high-rise runway down the center of the store and all the furniture turned toward the runway, and just the lamps on.
Another such event turned the space into a nightclub. Metropolitan Performing Arts used a stage, and guests dressed for cocktails and were served hors d’oeuvres and cocktails.
At this time of year, Divine Consign’s Christmas Tree Raffle offers beautifully decorated trees for $5 per raffle ticket.
Divine Consign also works with “Partners in Careers,” giving workers experience in retail. They’ve had some great success stories with all ages – young people, retired people who have lost spouses and need to build skills, and young moms with two or three children.
Each year, Divine Consign also gives grants to organizations in the area.
B.DIVINE CLOTHING BOUTIQUE
Five years ago, Divine Consign hired b.divine clothing boutique’s Manager Therese Mills, a former Nordstrom merchandiser, manager and buyer with 20 years of experience. Mills said that after retirement she wanted to just work part time and be involved with the community.
B.divine clothing boutique accepts jewelry for consignment, often from estates – costume and fine jewelry. They have a huge assortment, and tt’s a 60/40 split in the customer’s favor. The donated clothing is sorted, washed, pressed and steamed.
“We’re a boutique, not a thrift store,” Mills said. “The clothes have a place of honor in the store, they’re not just thrown in a bin.”
The prices are reasonable – $5 to $24 for 90 percent of the items. There are also some high-end items that may be purchased. For example, St. John’s knits normally retail at $700 to $1500, but at b.divine, they sell for $125.
“If you know your brands, we give good prices,” Mills said.
B.divine gets donations from women who want to give them their better clothing, and from those who are retiring or changing career fields. These women know that their donated clothing will be well taken care of and displayed attractively in the store.
“Our staff and volunteers are here to service the customer, and help find that great piece for them,” Mills said. “The expert staff is retired from Nordstrom, Columbia Sports and Cabi. All left those professions and enjoy fashion and helping people with their wardrobe. They can help with selecting that perfect item. If you’re going to be a guest at a wedding, they can find jewelry to match. Customer service is a top priority and most of the customers love the ambiance of the store and the music.”
“We enjoy having the volunteers come here,” Mills said. “They are essential and very helpful to make our store what it is. We’re grateful for those who’ve been here working with us. B.divine clothing boutique receives new items every week and a lot of the downtown people who are regulars come to see what we have that’s new. We accept everything here, and what we don’t keep, we pass on to other worthy charities. We sort them and see what is sellable for our store here. Everything is utilized, and benefits the local community.”
Divine Consign and b.divine clothing boutique are programs of Gifts for Our Community, a nonprofit organization that provides resources for our community in the area of human services, education and the arts.
Divine Consign, located at 904 Main St., in Downtown Vancouver, offers a variety of gently used furniture and home décor.
Divine Consign and the b.divine clothing boutique are located at 904 Main St., in Downtown Vancouver. The website is www.divineconsignfurniture.org.
