Seasons Greetings

What a year. As most of you know, I began 2014 with uncertainty. The New Year was filled with anxiety and trepidation as I faced my diagnosis of Breast Cancer. As the year progressed, and I endured my treatments, I was at once overwhelmed and encouraged by the incredible support I received from, not only family and friends, but customers - strangers. The kind of support that one can only hope for, let alone expect. It seems only appropriate then, as I surpass my year anniversary of being diagnosed, that I take this opportunity to tell you how grateful I am to you all for your continual kindness and support. Not a day passes at the shop that someone doesn't stop to ask how I am feeling, to tell me how well I look or how glad they are to see me. It's provided me with tremendous encouragement, and has made my journey, which was at first so scary and full of unknowns, manageable and ultimately surmountable. Thank you all for seeing me through this year. Thanks especially to those who worked with me: Emmanuelle, Bailey, Rachel and Zoe, for whom without their help I would not still be in business. Wishing you all Peace, Prosperity and Good Health this Holiday Season and throughout 2015. – Anne Marie, Owner GROVE STREET kids

Pick Your Promo!

The holidays are fast approaching!

The Bay Area is known for it's Indian Summers but that was... well, incredible! Here we are in mid-November and it's still quite mild and beautiful each day, making it a challenge to inform our customers what we are in need of... BUT, the fog is rolling in each night and there is definitely a chill in the air each morning! So with that, we are full-fledged in accepting fall merchandise! Sweaters, jackets, hats... AND holiday outfits! Yes, folks all already asking for dresses, suits and shoes, so bring them in! As always, we recommend checking our website before coming down to the shop to check sizes and policies...

Meanwhile, we had another very successful Halloween season, selling costumes up until the last moment! Maybe it had something to do with being mentioned in Red Tricycle's article "Great Shops to Score Halloween Costumes" for the second year in a row! We have a blast every year, especially when we have customers (costumers?) who find exactly what they are looking for! This year, one of our most loyal patrons contacted me to see if we had an Elizabethan costume in her daughter's size... and at the moment we only had one that was too small... but that very afternoon, what should come into the shop? The perfect fit and style... And if you missed seeing Anne Marie in hers, well you can take a gander here...

Pick Your Promo!

Plaid Friday and Small Business Saturday are just around the corner! GROVE STREET kids has traditionally been closed on these days in years past, but this year we are joining the ranks and will be open both days (though not to worry... we won't be interfering with your Thanksgiving Day plans....) And, to entice you to visit us, we are offering not one, but two holiday promotions, dependent on which day you decide to shop! Just mention this email when you come in, and on Plaid Friday, you can take your pick of one non-sale item for 40% off.. or on Saturday, get $5 off your purchase of $25 or more... We hope to see you there! All promotional sales are final.

It's that Spooktacular Time of Year....

Back to Ghoul!

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I always look forward to finding or creating just the right costume to wear... usually I'm inspired by some random thing and then create my costume around it.

80's Prom Queen and her date, The Corpse Bride

Last year, while resale shopping myself, I found this absolutely gaudy turquoise lamé dress that reminded me of my high school years, and possibly what I might have worn (really?) to my Prom... So, for $9 and a borrowed tiara, that's what I decided to be, an 80's Prom Queen! Several years prior, I  bought a cheap wedding gown, trashed it up and added some ribs (from a skeleton costume) to become The Corpse Bride... My younger daughter Olivia asked me to fit the costume to her and, voilà, I had my date!

This year, I am inspired by my (new) hair. And fake tattoos. Whomever, or whatever, shall I be? Well, you'll have to pop down to the shop on Halloween day to see for yourself, or like us on Facebook, or follow us on Instagram to see the photos (especially to see what's New in the Shop), that is if you haven't already!

Of course, not every one is the creative type, or knows how to sew, and so I say head on down to the shop and see what's in store for your kids (and maybe some grown up inspiration?). At GROVE STREET kids, we have a reputation for having some of the best selection around...

Happy New Year!

Our Sizzlin' Summer Windows

Well, it will be a New Year for us, anyway – our 8th year– beginning July 18th! GROVE STREET kids will celebrate 7 years in business, and we'd like to thank you for your continued support and patronage, and hope you will visit us any time between July15-31 to receive 40% off of any non-sale or already discounted item! Just mention  that you received this email, no need to print it out!* 

And as is customary for us, the shop will be closed in early July for some refreshing and reorganization, not to mention a little recuperation as well. This year we've closed for a couple of extra days to give Anne Marie a little more time to recuperate after finishing her treatments. 

Anne Marie, one day after finishing treatment

As a result, GROVE STREET kids will be closed from July 1st thru the 14th. We apologize for the inconvenience, but appreciate your continued support and understanding. Anne Marie is excited to reopen the shop, recouped and refreshed and with this most difficult time behind her!


One final thank you, to those who voted in Parents Press Magazine's Best of the East Bay 2014 and made us one of the Top Picks for Best Place to Buy Resale Children's Clothing. It means a lot to us and tells us that we are doing something right, despite the difficulties of the recent past! Thank you again for your continued support!

We look forward to seeing you in our New Year!

Let's Make Every Day Earth Day

Earth Day Give-Away Blast off! In honor of Earth Day, GROVE STREET kids has decided to give away one of our newest products at the shop, a Green ToysRocket! All you have to do is go to our Facebook page, "like" us (if you don't already) and then "like" AND "share" this post to your friends... to help spread the word about us! The winner will be chosen at random and announced on Facebook tomorrow evening! BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) It's been well over a year since Alameda County placed a ban on the use of plastic bags in grocery stores or other retail establishments that handle food (ie. Safeway, Target, CVS). Researchers have well-documented the harmful impact to our environment and wildlife caused by one-use plastic bags. Plastic never biodegrades; instead it breaks down into smaller and smaller particles that seep into our soil and water. Paper bags aren’t much better. While recycling has helped, a study by the Environmental Protection Agency found that only 4.3 percent of bags end up being recycled and a single-use paper bag has an even larger greenhouse gas emission than plastic bags. We are happy to say that most of our customers either decline a bag at the time of purchase, or have brought their own. By now, folks seem to have a collection of reusable bags in their car! Consequently, we will no longer be offering bags, either plastic or paper, because it is the right thing to do, especially as a Certified Green Business. Of course, there is always the option of purchasing one of our own two-tone canvas bags while your at the shop! OR, turn in your fully-punchedFrequent Buyer Card with a purchase of $50 or more and get one for free! In other Consignment News... In a world where our society is evermore recycle-saavy and green-conscious, it's always a bit of a surprise to hear about other consignment stores closing their doors. But the truth is, it's not an easy business to run (which ones are?) and to keep up with the ever-changing demands of life and family, a business-owner can be hard-pressed to keep herself afloat! Recently, it was brought to our attention that They Grow So Fast, a Lafayette-based children's consignment shop had closed its doors after over 20 years in business. Not long before that, another Berkeley-Mom owned shop, Apple Pie Maternity shut down after just under two years in business. It's truly unfortunate because the existence of these businesses help GROVE STREETkids, not hurt us. We all have something different to offer and we worked together to help protect our environment. So what does this mean for GROVE STREET kids? It means that, for our customers, there are less options and places to go to buy and sell, and for us it means more consignors and sellers. So we have to be even pickier about what we take in, and more strict about how we take it. So we ask, in fairness to everyone, that you stick to our guidelines when bringing in items to sell or consign: a 2 paper (or reusable) bag limit (in keeping with our desire to eliminate plastic) per visit and, as always, checking our website for the sizes and seasons we are currently accepting. In addition, as mentioned in our previous email, our consignment hours changed to certain days, to accommodate the many schedules of our staff and Anne Marie's treatment. As Summer approaches, and schedules change, we are once again faced with changing our consigning and buying hours at the shop. We will most likely resume our original buying hours (Tuesday thru Friday, 11 am to 2 pm) sometime in May. We hope this doesn't cause too much inconvenience for anyone, and we certainly have appreciated your ongoing patronage and support.

New Buying & Consignment Hours

Spring is just around the corner!

And with that we have started to transition into Spring Merchandise. So, get your short sleeves, sundresses and swimwear together! Items should be freshly washed, free of stains, pet hair, missing buttons and broken zippers, and limited to 2 paper or reusable bags (no plastic please). Remember to check our policies and guidelines for the best resale and consigning experience!

Spring also intimates new, and on the heals of visiting the San Francisco International Gift Fair, we will have lots of new, fun and exciting products coming into the shop The pictures above are a sneak peek into what you can expect to see in the  next month. New items from  Sassafrass, Sigg, Uncle Goose and more! We will still carry our tried and true gift items, including our leather bracelets and watches, but we will also have new styles of those to choose from as well!

Update on Anne Marie

If you missed the last email blast, I had shared the unfortunate news that I was recently diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Again, there is no easy way to communicate this. Since that emailing, I have begun my treatment. Though I plan to be at the shop as much as possible, there will be days that I just can't make it in. And to accommodate the many schedules of the GSK staff on the days I can't be at the shop, Buying and Consignment Hours will change to Wednesday, Thursday and Friday only. However, you may now bring your items in at any point during the day. This change will remain in effect until further notice. As always, we recommend checking our website or giving a call before making the trip down.

Secondly, as part of my treatment, the success of my recovery requires that I not be unnecessarily exposed to any illness of any kind. So I, along with my staff, respectfully ask that you not bring any children, or yourselves, to the shop with even the slightest sniffle. Thank you in advance for your consideration. 

Many customers have emailed me and shown tremendous support already, and I can't tell you how much it means to me. While I don't look forward to this process, I do relish the time when I can be back at the shop without hindrance to either myself, my co-workers, or my customers. Thank you for your continued kindness, support and patronage.

Better Late Than Never!

Winter finally seems to be upon us! And according to Groundhog Phil, the world's most famous furry forecaster, we can expect another 6 weeks of it. Phil saw his shadow at around 7:25 a.m (EST) this morning in the small town of Punxsutawney, Pa., amidst mostly overcast skies and temperatures in the mid-30s. Thousands of revelers showed up for the folksy celebration.

According to legend, if it's cloudy when the groundhog emerges, Phil will leave his burrow, signifying that winter will end soon. If it's sunny out, the groundhog will supposedly see his shadow and, frightened, retreat back into his burrow while winter drags on for six more weeks.

So what does that mean for us? Well, for a couple of weeks we've been struggling to tell folks what kind of clothing we're in need of (snow gear? swim suits?) given it's felt more like June than January... so we've stuck to transitional pieces, light layering and the basics. Folks are still looking for bibs, boots and gloves in hopes of a ski weekend down the road, and the good news is there is rain - and therefore, snow - in the forecast! And we still have some cold weather items in stock. However, since the weather can change on a dime, please check our website before heading down with your items to sell or consign.

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Love is in the air! We love Valentine's Day and love to dress the windows accordingly! Inspired by my youth, when I had to wear a blue and white uniform there wasn't a day that I looked forward to more... every year my dad bought me a beautiful Valentine's Day dress. Come on down to the shop to see our selection!

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On a final, and decidedly somber note, those of you who are our more frequent customers may have seen some changes around GROVE STREET kids in the last couple of months. We have some new faces behind the counter that are providing coverage for me while I have been getting treatment for Breast Cancer. There is no easy way to communicate this. But I want to thank those customers whom have already shown their support and patronage during this challenging time.

I am encouraged for a complete recovery, though I expect it will institute some unusual, yet necessary boundaries for me at the shop. I want to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for your patience and understanding as I navigate and establish what those boundaries are.

Thank you again for your continued support of GROVE STREET kids. We look forward to seeing you throughout 2014.