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These Clothes Mentor Owners Make a Difference in Their Communities

Many resale clothing franchise operations are small businesses, deeply dependent on a loyal customer base. Most of those shoppers come from the local community, and smart franchise owners know their customers by name. They collect and keep data about their sizes, style preferences and favorite brand names. They send email reminders about special events. They remember birthdays. They understand the value of having a connection that goes beyond the cash register.

The most successful franchisees also have mastered the magical math of giving back. They add value to their cities and towns by making their part of the world a better place. Here are some examples of Clothes Mentor owners who truly make a difference in their communities.

Alyssa Cox and Her Smiling Greeter

Alyssa Cox owns three Clothes Mentor franchises in and around Charlotte, North Carolina. She’s always been involved in the community, and her family has volunteered for years with the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte. Last December, Alyssa decided to hire a 20-year-old woman with Down Syndrome to be a store greeter at her Clothes Mentor in South Charlotte. In her wildest dreams, she couldn’t have imagined what a fantastic idea that would turn out to be!

“Julia greets everyone when they come in,” Alyssa raves. “She already has gotten more (work) hours, she’s gotten a raise, and our sales are higher when she’s there.” Alyssa says Julia has become an important part of the customer service team, handing out flyers and helping customers find items within the store. “She likes to shop, too, and enjoys the employee discounts!”

Julia has become more independent and self-sufficient as a result of her employment at Clothes Mentor. Her parents are thrilled — and have noticed a growing maturity in their daughter. “She even takes public transportation on her way to work,” Alyssa adds.

Alyssa says if the opportunity presents itself, she will hire another person with Down Syndrome. “The sky’s the limit for this kind of thing,” she says.

Chris Barnett and the Resale Cycle

At the Clothes Mentors in Westchester and Springfield, Pennsylvania, franchisee Chris Barnett knows what it’s like to be a bargain shopper. “I grew up going to garage sales,” she admits. She gave up a high-powered career at a major pharmaceutical company in order to facilitate women helping each other via the resale clothing cycle. She is personally vested in making her customers feel and look as good as they can. “Our mission is to show women how beautiful they are by finding clothes that fit them the best.”

But Chris does so much more in her community than simply boosting her customers’ self-esteem. “We host fundraisers. We have retail therapy parties,” she explains. In her stores, there are several places for customers to donate clothing that is not purchased for resale. Those donated items are taken to local churches, where they are in turn distributed to women living in homeless shelters. Customers can purge their closets of gently-used clothing, and women who can’t afford new fashions get the opportunity to look and feel great about themselves. Everyone wins.

Sadie Cherney Broadcasts for Bargain Hunters

In South Carolina, Sadie Cherney owns three Clothes Mentor upscale resale stores — in Greenville, Columbia and Spartanburg. Like many Clothes Mentor franchisees, Sadie offers a complimentary personal shopping service at all of her stores. Busy customers sign up on the store’s website, and submit sizes and style preferences. The personal shopper pulls dozens of items in the appropriate sizes and colors and has them ready for the customer when she arrives. The entire process is free of charge, and there is never an obligation for a customer to make a purchase.

But Sadie goes beyond the bricks and mortar of her store to help local women become more fashion-savvy. She hosts a monthly fashion segment on WSPA-TV’s “Your Carolina” morning program. “I get to style six mannequins,” she beams. “I love it!” Because of the wealth of consumer data she receives from the NTY Franchise parent company, Sadie gives free fashion tips to women who want to stay on top of the latest trends while keeping within their budget.

Tim Kapphahn Maximizes the Mentoring

The Clothes Mentor franchise in St. Cloud, Minnesota, truly lives up to its name. Owner Tim Kapphahn and his partner LaVonne Rykhus have committed to their mission of promoting and addressing women’s issues. They also help facilitate the mentorship of women by women. Employees at the store started the World of Women (WOW) program to help empower customers and other women in the local area. They host monthly meetings in the store with various topics such as, “How to Write a Good Resume.” Customers regularly attend — and often bring neighbors, friends or family members. The employees take ownership of the programs, and women in the local community receive mentorship, advice, and career and skills development. But that’s not all. Managers are constantly thinking of ways to connect with women in the St. Cloud community.

“We put on a fashion show for women dealing with issues in a domestic shelter,” Tim offers. It’s held at a site chosen by the shelter, away from the store. The attendees get a chance to learn about appropriate fashion for interviewing and landing a job. “It’s geared toward women who might be entering, or re-entering, the workplace after spending time in the shelter.” Tim says these presentations have a “dress to impress” focus, and the women leave with a feeling of empowerment and hope. The Clothes Mentor team in St. Cloud is busy thinking up more ways to stay involved with, and connected to, the people who help support their business.

Whether they reach out within the four walls of their store or branch out into the city or town they call home, these franchisees are creating strong connections with customers, and potential customers. They are providing volunteers for local events. They are raising money for worthy causes. They are offering employment and career advancement to persons who otherwise may not have the opportunity to land a job. Most of all, they are working to ensure that their upscale resale clothing store becomes part of the fabric of their community for years to come.

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.