he's Impresario Of Used Goods

by Roy Wright COURT HOUSE An enterprising lady with an eye for value and a sensitivity to people has launched a new business that is both profitable and interesting .!/>is McClure of Cape May Court House, artist and now impresario of used goods, is the lady Hft’all if you're looking for special items or trying to unload some unwanted goods McClure sells anything from a single item to a condominium full of things Peopld anxious to selk their stuff hut still wanting a profit can avoid the auc tion or used furniture'dealer route: Her operation is swift, unique and beneficial to ^11 concerned l Here's the deal The house sale is advcr jised and Iheh ^IcClure sets up temporary daytime residency at the home where the sale is to take place For a fefc days she's on hand tb deliver the goods to shoppers

She does all the pricing, selling, tnxjkktfeping, etc and the homeowner collects the profits, minus a hit for McClure. Shoppers pick up quality items at reasonable prices and the homeowner is spared sorting through all his stuff, often a monumental task THE IDEA IS so beautiful and so simple that it's a wonder more people aren't getting into the act But it takes a special person to pull it off M«Clure is that person She understands the public and if things aren't moving she’s quick to Ipwer the prices She knows her items and their value Once someone gave her a cabinet to sell and told her to try to get $50 for it. McCure knew it was valuable and got $700 for the seller Everyone was happy •'I've been doing this for a few years." McClure said "It all started with a yard sale 1 used to have sales and neighbors

would ask to come in on them. Then one olderly neighbor was moving to Florida and she asked me to do an individual one for her. Then her friend was moving and he asked me to do a whole houseful of anti-

ques." McClure said.

' One thing led to another and I found out there's no greater teacher than ex-

•But I

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pericnce," she said.

^McClure's first day prices hold, will bargain items. "I bend but it maxes me feel defenfive that I should lower

prices," McClurfcsaid,

'She must be doing something right because everything sells and her services

are very much in demand.

“The thing that gives me the most pleasure is seeing the faces of the sellers ' when 1 give them the monies I’ve raised for them. My fee is 25 percent That hasn't changed It’s always been 25 percent." MCCLURE SAID part of the reason she's involved in the sales is because of the vulnerability of elderly people. "Sometimes they have no idea of the value of their items They’ll stop and ask me if a certain thing is worth anything. Sometimes I take a sale even though I know it won’t be worth my while — but I know that God wants me to help

someone," she said.

“A lot of times people sell under pressure to move Everthing is done in a iush and everyone wants things done yesterday That's the hard part." Although McClure admits to making a tidy profit from her enterprise, anyone watching her work knows the money isn’t coming easily Long hours during those few days of selling added to the strain of bargaining are worth the price. But Me Clure remains undaunted, "I have a

system," she said. ,

"People do the advertising themselves, but with my,wording. Thetaare no details about the exact address before the sale. The name of the \own is given, and the ad will say that signs are posted. That way, people won’t be Hlkassed. Most of the time we never have ^ exact house number listed and this eliminates the door buster type where people come at dawn," McClure said the more hours the more merchandise you'sell. "Although I'm stable in my first day prices, as the sale . comes to an end I gather up all the things that aren’t selling and I put them on tables in one room and take 50 percent off Then I add things-to that table as the sale comes

to the end. It works."

McClure said she lets the seller do

anything lie wants. "They can take the money in, watch me, help me with the sales, it doesn't make any difference. I've had some people sit with a cocktail in their hand watching me do all the work and others who get involved with the sales," A LOT OF funny things happen and McCHire’s thinking of writing a book about her experiences. Sometimes people feel embarrassed about what they’re selling but when they see McClure in operation they are soon put at ease. "The ego figures. in," she said. ‘Tve had people bet me on certain things. A woman withftwo big round tubs of things she called trash was shocked when J told her not to throw it out. ‘You’re not going to sell that stuff?’, she asked. In the tub was a broken doll missing an arm.‘It was not an antique but I bet her I could get $12 for it. I had a feeling that the parts were rare and good enough and it was an unusual type doll. The doll was sold to someone who was overjoyed to find it. That was the morning of the second day and the seller really laughed hard when the salt? was made. She said she was a believer now." McClure said once when someone bought a lot of stdff from her the trash* truck picked it up off the curb while the woman went for her car. "I can just picture this in a cartoon with the lady chasing the truck. It was funny," she said. McClure, an artist, said the hours she spends in solitude at her easel painting is a far cry from selling. "But it's a happy medium to be among society," she added Roy Wright is a frprlance writer.

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Publithod by tho Soowovo Corp , P.O. Box 484. Capo May. N.J. 08204, a* »ho tocond toction of tho Capo May County Horald and tho Lowor Townthip Lantorn.

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Cdllor Jacob Schood Jr Ganaral Manager Bonnie Relno Home Economfif Florence Heal

I9B7 Wow ova Cofp All rMarvwt All propofty right* tor lha •otira (ontantt ot Ihl* publKotlon i hall ba tha proparty ot tha Wow ova Corp No port haraot moy ba raproducad without prior written coolant

STALLER'S HARDWARE 135 E. Wildwood Avenue Wildwood (522-1488)

6 JUNE 30, 1982

VERSATILE DO IS MCCLURE take* a breather from her successful selling business to paint a seascape. '

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