When Alicia Nay founded Return Engagement 22 years ago, the idea of clothes on “consignment” was pretty much the opposite of cool. Now, when the realm of fashion has become much more DIY and style itself has become a more eclectic, individualized notion, consignment is all the rage, and Return Engagement has not only survived but thrived as a destination for fashionistas. “Twenty-two years ago, people would walk in and go, ‘Ew, is this resale?’ Now they walk in and go, ‘Oh, this is resale!’” Nay said. “It’s really been embraced, even by the entertainment industry and the environmental movement. People want to find something more unique.” Return Engagement has since become an institution of sorts, able to offer cash upfront for some items rather that take consignment, and a store so beloved for its treasures that it has a devotd following both within and beyond the South Bay. “We have so many people who come in so often we know their names,” Nay said. “One lady comes in every day. A lot come in once a week. We have people who drive from an hour away every Saturday to see what they can buy, and I’ve got Sunday people. Those are my favorite people because their loyalty.” The store did suffer a recent blow — a break-in in which $8,000 worth of merchandize was taken. But Return Engagement is a store in the right time and place and will certainly survive this bump in the road; the store regularly buys 700 items a week, and sells exactly the same amount, on average. “People don’t buy from stores, they buy from people,” Nay said. “I bought this store from another person, and I have probably 50 people still coming from 22 years ago….Part of it is you never know what’s going to be be there — it’s the thrill of the hunt, and if you miss a week you are going to miss a whole bunch of beautiful things….It’s the thrill, and the fact that it’s now socially acceptable, and we are in a fantastic location and everyone around here is so nice and easygoing. We have a lot of fun.” — MM
Return Engagement, 312 Avenue I, Redondo Beach, 310-375-0570, ReturnEngagement.org.
Runner up: Gus Vintage Goods, 209 Ave I, Redondo Beach, 310-210-9448, GusVintageGoods.com.
