Plato's Closet: THE place for trendy on a budget for teens and young adults

By DeAnne M. Bradley

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Think Ross and T.J. Maxx, without the denim from 1999. That's Plato's Closet in Virginia Beach. It's the trendy penny pincher's paradise.

With the recent economic crunch, we've been on the prowl for great consignment shops.

Plato's Closet has one up on most - consignors get cash on the spot for everything the store takes off their hands. That's like having a yard sale without the hassle.

The store accepts most items that were in retail stores within the past 12 to 18 months. Forever 21, Charlotte Russe, American Eagle, Express, Levi and Old Navy are the most popular brands. "It's a great place for teens and young adults to shop. We'll take everything but dad brands," said store owner Donna Saylor.

The staff uses an extensive brand database to monitor the inventory. That keeps shoppers from looking like '90s fashion rejects.

When we stopped by, we started with a rack of Abercrombie & Fitch jeans. We found about 20 pairs in various sizes for $18 to $20.

We found racks of Rocawear, Baby Phat, Levi and True Religion jeans, too. We even got our hands on Azzure capri pants, size 4, for $15 and Ashley Stewart jeans, size 16, for $8.

All of the brands aren't in one place, so it takes some digging, but it's worth it. We ran across a new pair of indigo Baby Phat jeans. Retail tag: $89. Plato's Closet, $25. Every item is about 70 percent off the retail price.

Plato's Closet has dressier duds, too. We spotted a fuchsia silky dress from Arden B. for $18.

We were a bit leery about the used shoes. Our first find was a pair of teal and green Nike Air Force 1s, size 7, for $25. We checked the soles. They were clean. Amazing! Those sell for about $90 at the mall. A pair of black Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars were $11. Beats $40. We also found a pair of black Steve Madden heels, size 8, for $8.

Oh, there are purses, too. The small black Coach bag was the first to catch our eye - $18. A large Dooney & Bourke duffle bag, retail value $250 to $300, was available for $90.

Missy Rodriguez, 34, was in the store last week to pick up a few summer shirts. She's been a Plato's Closet fan since the store opened in February.

"I'll be the poster child for this place. It's not Dillard's across the street, but it's not Goodwill either."

The cheap finds aren't just for women. About 20 percent of the inventory is for men. We spotted a brand new teal and white Schmack hoodie for $60. The retail price: $119.99. Blue and white Nike Air Force 1s, size 14, were $14.

Good thing for Rodriguez. The Virginia Beach mom shops for her 16-year-old son, too.

"Kids grow way too fast. I'm not about to pay $50 or $60 for clothes they're going to grow out of."

Rodriguez isn't just a shopper. She contributes to the inventory.

"I can make about $3 or so on each piece. I don't see any of my clothes on the rack. I guess someone likes them."

DeAnne M. Bradley, (757) 222-3897, deanne.bradley@link757.com