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Name: The Princeton Consignment Boutique

Type of business: Consignment of women's clothing and accessories couture and regular labels.

Address: 1378 Route 206 Village Shopper Suite #9, Skillman.

Telephone: (609) 924-2288

Number of employees: 3

Founded:1984

Hours: Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Top Officer: Lamis Faris

How would you describe your business?

"Our business is a small consignment/resale shop for ladies designer clothing and fashions accessories and includes designer labels of Donna Karan, Louis Feraud, Mondi, Ralph Lauren, Ellen Tracy, Escada, and good "regular" labels. Our range of clothing is large from size 0 to 26 including plus sizes," said Princeton Consignment Boutique top officer Lamis Faris.

"The store is open six days a week from Monday through Saturday. Our policy is to accept clothing for consignment only by appointment. As a consignment shop there is a contract signed by the consignor for the eight weeks the clothing will be in the shop. We try to do justice to the consignor and price it accordingly. If its couture it's priced higher than a non-designer label. But it's always much less than in the retail world. The contract states that we lower the price if the item doesn't sell after three weeks. At the end of the eight-week period, the consignor will receive a check for 50 percent of the purchase price. The clothing not sold can be picked up or if not taken back, the clothing will be given to a charity during the periodic pickups we have every three or five months. And we will give the consignor the donation slip so they can take the credit for it -- we don't."

What makes your business special?

"I believe it's our comfortable, colorful, and friendly atmosphere generated by the staff. We are a boutique and our specialty is women's designer clothing and accessories at reasonable prices. We don't carry men's clothing and we don't carry wedding dresses but we do carry gowns, shoes, jewelry, and scarves. We know our customers by name and they will often drop in just to talk with us. Our customers tell us they enjoy the classical music that greets them when they enter. Our location is easy to find and has a large free parking area."

What goals do you have for the business?

"Our business goal is simple: to provide quality labels for less to people of all walks of life and budget."

How has your business changed?

"It has grown to a large store in a shopping area and has become a destination for women who are seeking a more upscale item at a bargain price. We have been featured in the New York Times New Jersey Edition, the Princeton Packet, and in the Town Topics of Princeton. In 1984, we started in a small upstairs loft on Main Street in Kingston. We gradually grew until we were too large for the space and moved to our present location in a mall in Skillman just past the intersection of Route 518 heading north from Princeton on Route 206 in Skillman."

What was your most important deal?

"I wouldn't really call this my most important deal, but it was a definitive moment. A woman brought in about five Hermes bags. And they were in very good condition and they cost about $5,000 and up to buy them at retail. We priced them considerably lower, with the consent of the consignor. As a result of the interaction with various customers who wanted the Hermes bags, but wanted to pay less than the price we had established, I will never accept a Hermes bag in this store again."

What do you expect in your business in the next 10 years?

"I don't plan any more than one year in advance for my business. I just don't know what may happen. But I do believe because the concept of ‘going green' is popular now, I expect our business to grow on that basis alone. Every year, we grow a little and encounter new, interesting people. Now I notice that people are coming in and commenting on how we are a ‘green store.' We really have been ‘green' in our whole operation since we began. We never buy notepads because we use scratch paper from computer paper that didn't properly print out for our scratch paper. We recycle the hangers, reuse plastic and paper clips."

What's the most important thing you've learned in the business?

"The most important thing is integrity. I'm making sure my staff applies integrity with rigor. For instance, I once got a lot of Tods bags, an expensive handbag that retails at $600. Through some research I did, I found they were phony. So I called the woman who bought the bag from us to tell her she had spent too much for the bag and charged her what it would be if she got the bag on the street and returned the difference back. It's important to do this so your customers trust you."

What advice would you give to someone considering your line of work?

"In any business, you have to think out what your mission is. In our business, it's to provide clothing for people in all walks of life for any budget. You figure out your mission then you do it with business practices that include integrity, attention to detail, and training of your staff. For instance, if you decide to open a children's resale store, the first detail you have to decide is what will be the age range of the children -- will it be 0 to 5 or 0 to 15. Who is this store for?"

Is there anything else you would rather be doing?

"I really can't answer that question. But I really love to create beautiful spaces in the garden. It's something I do whenever I'm not here, I'm in the garden creating beauty."