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Clothes Mentor Strongsville Helps Local Women Feel Fabulous

Check out this great article from thepostnewspapers.com featuring Clothes Mentor Strongsville and how the store helps local women feel amazing without breaking the bank.

A business for women, supporting women

Clothes Mentor: helping clients feel like a million bucks without the sticker shock

By Jaime Anton

 

clothes mentor strongsville staff
Photo by Jaime Anton. Store manager Jen Gavin, manager on duty Hannah Yatchko, owner Randi Zeid and manager on duty Kathie Wilkins are part of Strongsville’s Clothes Mentor team and enjoy assisting women in looking and feeling their best.

Every girl’s dream is to find stylish clothes and accessories for a fraction of the price, and when she’s no longer in love with her outfit, be able to return it for cash on the spot.

The staff at Clothes Mentor of Strongsville has been making this dream come true daily with gently used, affordable clothing.

“We have all your better mall brands: Ann Taylor, The Limited, Lane Bryant, The North Face, Lululemon, Chicos and designer handbags like Coach, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Michael Kors, Dooney and Bourke, but our prices are roughly 70 percent off retail. Nine times out of 10, we are even more than 70 percent off,” store owner Randi Zeid said.

With prices like this, great deals are the every day at Clothes Mentor, but their Saturday before Black Friday sale, Nov. 19, sweetens them even further.

“Every single item in the store will be 30-70 percent off of what it’s already marked,” Zeid said. “Most people are shopping for their family or kids this time of year. This is great to be able to come in early, take advantage of huge savings and shop for yourself.”

So whether it’s date night, a special occasion, pieces for work or a new wardrobe for a growing baby bump, Clothes Mentor has everything for nearly every size and shape.

“From work to play in sizes 0-26, we have updated styles to fit all your needs whether you are 20 or 120,” Zeid said.

Designer fashion for less

Shopping can be euphoric, and it can be frustrating, like when fighting crowds while rushing from store to store to put together one outfit, trying to find the right fit at the right price, searching for summer clothes in the dead of winter for a Caribbean cruise.

Clothes Mentor understands and tries to make it a convenient, fun shopping experience for every customer.

The store is not seasonal, meaning it always stocks summer dresses, shirts, skirts, capris, shorts, maternity, and even athletic wear and scrubs all year.

“We have shorts on the floor year round, so you can still buy for your vacation anytime,” Zeid said.

To take the stress out of shopping, the store launched a new, free service for women who simply don’t have the time to shop, who struggle to put together a look or who simply want to be adventurous.

Customers can fill out a form online at clothesmentor.com to be part of the store’s free personal shopper program.

“After you have filled it out, we contact you to have you come in and try on outfits we have pulled for you,” Jen Gavin, the store manager, said.

“It’s a free, one-hour styling appointment,” Zeid added. “If you have trouble coordinating your own outfits or you have a special event coming up or you don’t have time to peruse our racks, you can opt in, and we’ll have things ready for you to try on when you get here.”

Hot, new items are shared regularly on their Facebook and Instagram.

“If you see something you like, we can put it aside for you,” Gavin said. “If we get a nice maternity buy, within an hour we’ll see four pregnant women walk in. Maternity clothes are expensive and you’re wearing them for such a finite time. What’s nice is when you are done with them, you can come back in and sell them back to us.”

The store does more than help customers find the perfect outfit; it also puts cash back in their wallets.

“We pay cash for your better mall brands and designer items and jewelry that are current and in style, which to us means they have been in the stores in the last one to two years,” Gavin said. “If something’s been in the closet that you aren’t using, why not get a little bit of cash for it? Bring it here first, let us take a look at it, and we will see what we can take off your hands before you donate it.”

The store has a loyalty program for customers, as well as a texting program to find out about flash sales and earn rewards.

“We have a free app for your smartphone, so you can keep track of your loyalty points and set up a free styling appointment. Our loyalty program is all computerized now, so you don’t have to worry about keeping track of a card,” Zeid said.

Women supporting women

The store also livens up the shopping experience making it a night out with various events such as a Girls Night Out in the fall and spring, offering not only 20 percent off already low prices but also refreshments, raffles and vendors to make a fun night of it.

It’s about women supporting women for Zeid and her staff.

Every October the store raises awareness about breast cancer, featuring pink clothing front and center. One day each October, the store donates 10 percent of sales to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

“Our business is for women, so we want to support women,” Zeid said.

Zeid, who opened this franchise in 2012, said this is her favorite aspect of the business.

“I would definitely say my favorite thing is the customers. We have such warm relationships with so many of our customers. They tell us their stories, they bring us nice things,” she said. “And a happy customer is so invaluable.”

Gavin agrees.

“One of the best parts is seeing how happy customers are when they find something they love,” Gavin said. “They can come here and get a beautiful outfit for a lot less.”

The store is located at 15143 Pearl Road in Strongsville. Hours are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. For more information call, 440-238-8300 or visit clothesmentor.com/strongsville/.

Ronald G. Olson

President

Ron Olson has been President and a Director of NTY Franchise Company since October 2006. Ron’s background included starting his career at Dayton’s Department Store, where he held many management positions. In 1977 he opened his own furniture store in Minnesota, which was a Drexel Heritage prototype store. In 1988 he co-founded Grow Biz International, now called Winmark. The first franchise rights that Olson purchased and started marketing was Play It Again Sports. Olson continued buying the Franchise rights for Once Upon A Child, Plato’s Closet, and Music Go Round. Today there over 1,000 Franchise locations.

Under NTY Franchise Company, the franchise rights were bought for Clothes Mentor and New Uses. In 2013 Olson bought Laptop Exchange and changed the name to Device Pitstop. In 2014 the company opened NTY Clothing Exchange and NTY Kids, now Children’s Orchard. There are currently 204 stores sold and 133 stores opened under the NTY Franchise umbrella.

Chad Olson

Chief Operations Officer

Chad Olson has been Chief Operations Officer of NTY Franchise Company since January 2007. From May 1994 to December 2006, he held various positions for Winmark Corporation (f/k/a Grow Biz International, Inc.), including Field Operations Manager for the Once Upon a Child concept from 1999 to 2002, and Regional Operations Manager for the Plato’s Closet concept from 2002 to 2006.

Sarah Primmer

Vice President of Finance & Human Resources

Sarah Primmer is the Vice President of Finance and Human Resources for NTY Franchise Company. She joined the company in January 2014. Prior to joining NTY, Sarah spent over 25 years as the controller and business manager of a local sales and marketing firm calling on Target stores.

Michael D. Smith

Vice President of Strategic Planning

Michael D. Smith has held numerous roles with NTY Franchise since 2010. He is currently the Vice President of Franchise Development and Strategic Planning. From December 2000 to July 2010, Michael held the position of Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of the franchise company Laptop Xchange. From June 1994 to December 2000, Michael held numerous roles within the Grow Biz International brands of Play It Again Sports and Computer Renaissance. These roles included Corporate Store Management, Field Operation Specialist, and Franchisee.

Jenny Mann

Vice President of Operations | Executive Director of IT

Jenny Mann is the Senior Vice President Clothes Mentor and Children’s Orchard. In February of 2024, Jenny took on her current role overseeing IT, Marketing and the e-commerce platforms for both brands. Prior to this, Jenny was the Director of Marketing for NTY Franchise Company since January 2013. Jenny started with the NTY Franchise Company in 2008 with Clothes Mentor and has held many roles, including; Store Manager, New Store Opener, and Regional Operations Manager. Before joining NTY Franchise Company, Jenny worked for Old Navy (Gap, Inc.) and Target in management roles.

Michelle Vaudrin

Senior Director of Operations

Michelle Vaudrin is the Senior Director of Operations for Clothes Mentor and Children’s Orchard. Prior to joining NTY Franchise Company in March 2016, she worked in leadership roles for Burlington, American Eagle and Macy’s. Michelle attended University of Wisconsin-Stout with a degree in Retail Merchandising and Business Administration. She brings extensive background in training of strategies, merchandising, customer service and multi-unit store operations to the team.

Ashley Huebner

Director of Marketing

Ashley Huebner oversees NTY Franchise Company’s marketing and advertising efforts to drive sales, build brand awareness and lead the planning on how to effectively market both brands. She leads creative initiatives for NTY Franchise Company, driving the brands’ vision in aesthetics, tone, and trends to elevate our brand position as a leader in the resale category. Ashley joined the Clothes Mentor team in March of 2015. Ashley has 8+ years of Graphic Design experience. Ashley holds a strong background in design, user experience, and a passion for creativity. She holds a BA degree in Advertising and Art.

Jessica Fix

Franchise Contract and Office Administrator

Jessica Fix is the Franchise Contracts and Office Administrator for NTY Franchise Company. She started with the company in January of 2018. Jessica works alongside the Franchise Development Team and provides office support to the headquarter office. She has 20 years in the franchise industry, previously working for Carlson Leisure Group/Travel Leaders Franchise Group in a variety of roles, such as Database Coordinator, Legal Contract Administrator, and Executive Assistant to the Franchise Sales Team.