Warm weather signifies many things—blossoming flowers, outdoor activities, summer’s approach—and if kids are in the mix, often whole new wardrobes. Children undergo growth spurts at sometimes quite alarming rates. It can seem as though literally overnight, the pants that fit just last week now barley graze the ankles; the spring jacket grandma purchased at Christmas is now at least one size too small.

Growth spurts aside, children are fickle creatures. An obsession with all things pink can quickly be usurped by blue, or a love of dresses tossed out in favor of jeans—particularly problematic when dealing with toddler or pre-teen girls. Either way, be it due to personal preference or an increase in size, having to replace an entire wardrobe for even one child can be very expensive.

Vicky Burns knows this, and she decided to create an event to make the necessary seasonal shopping for local families more affordable. After looking around for discount retail shopping, Burns started Coastal Kids Consignment Sales in 2008, holding semi-annual sales for spring/summer and fall/winter in the Salisbury, MD and the Harrington/Dover, DE areas.

“I did some research and decided to start a consignment event to help other local parents recycle their kids’ outgrown items and turn them into cash,” said Burns.

The idea took off. What started out with just 25 consigners at the first sale has grown to over 200. The last sale featured over 18,000 gently used, new, or like-new items. Geared specifically towards children’s clothing, toys, and gear in the beginning, the sale now features women’s, maternity, and household items as well—at the request of customers looking for great deals.

Many of the customers are also consigners themselves. This is a big part of the mentality behind Coastal Kids Consignments.

“[I envisioned] a place where the seller could choose their own prices and earn more from those items too good to give away, while shopping for the same,” explained Burns.

It’s really become a one-stop shop for someone to both sell and buy effectively. Consigners are guaranteed 55% of their item’s sale price. That amount can increase up to 65% if a seller volunteers to work the sale. Additionally, sellers choose if their items should be discounted on the last day of the sale, and if they can be donated if not sold. Following this year’s sale, the Life Crisis Center, the March of Dimes, and the Eastern Shore Pregnancy Center—all of Salisbury, MD, and several other local shelters and churches will be the beneficiaries of the donated items and financial contributions.       

The sale itself has the look and feel of a retail store. Items are organized by size, gender, and similar category for ease of shopping. Items include kids clothing, toys, shoes, furniture, stroller sets, baby gear, home décor, and women’s clothing—brand and designer label items, all discounted from 50 to 90% off retail.   

The Coastal Kids Consignment Sale will be held in the Midway Room at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center in Salisbury, MD beginning Thursday, March 15th. Further details are below.

  • Thursday March 15th from 9am – 6pm
  • Friday March 16th from 9am – 6pm (many items 25% off from 3 – 6pm)
  • Saturday March 17th from 9am – 1pm (many items 50% off all day)
  • Admission is free.
  • Coastal Kids Consignment
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  • Check out the gallery below for photos of what to expect.
  • *All photos are from the Coastal Kids Consignment Facebook page. We thank them for the usage.