An interview with Maggie Brown, owner of 5 Lil’ Monkeys, a children’s resale clothing store, 119 11th St., Astoria

An up-scale second-hand clothing store sounds like a contradiction of terms, but this little shop on the Astoria waterfront has some surprisingly good deals for moms and dads who want their little ones dressed in the very best. Open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on Mondays.

What is 5 Lil’ Monkeys all about?

“We are all about reduce, reuse and recycle. There is no reason to pay big dollars for children’s clothes. For example we have an OshKosh toddler girl’s pants outfit that sells new for $32, with the tags still on them for just $6. Our price on an Old Navy sweat shirt that sells new for $19.95 is just $4.50. Most of the clothing is like brand new. We have wedding outfits, school clothes, play clothing and pretty much everything. We try hard to carry only high quality goods here. We determine the acceptability of each item and its selling price. We also have a lot of clearance stuff for $1 each, and shoes for $1 a pair.

Where do you get your merchandise?

“This is a consignment shop. The consignor will receive 40 percent of the selling price and the money is available as the item sells. We accept clothing in sizes newborn through children’s size 16-18.

We have a very limited amount of big kid’s sizes. We are looking for clothing that is not too worn, stained, torn or missing any buttons. The snaps and zippers must be in working order. Children’s and maternity clothing is accepted seasonally. We accept spring and summer clothing during the months of February through July. Fall and winter clothing may be dropped off the months of August through December. A variety of spring and winter clothing will be accepted in January. We will display your items for 60 days.

The selling price may be reduced after 45 days, or sooner depending on stock. One option, after the 60 days consignment period ends, is to donate the items to Foster Kids Clothing Closet.”

What is your volume of business like at this location?

“We are very, very busy. Business is steady in the winter and insane in the summer. I love my location. I get to go outside and hang out by the river. People get off the trolley and come in and inquire about us. We have customers from the cruise ships and people from out of town plan their trip to the coast around a visit here. For this reason we have items here that can’t be found anywhere else in Astoria. Visitors from out of town always say they are glad to see we are still here, but I am sure we will be here a long time. Our store is also very kid friendly. We have a toy table. Kids beg to come to 5 Lil’ Monkeys.”

Why did you start this business?

“I am an Astoria native. I had three children, and then went back to school. Eight years later we had twins. Hence the name 5 ‘Lil Monkeys. This just seemed like the thing to do.”

An interview with Maggie Brown, owner of 5 Lil’ Monkeys, a children’s resale clothing store. 119 11 th St., Astoria. 502-338-3387

Do you have toys?

Toys and equipment are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis depending on available space. They must be clean and in good repair – no missing pieces and instruction manuals included, when possible. Battery operated toys must have batteries. Customers want to make sure they work. We also carry new Melissa and Doug toys. They have super high standards, with lots of wood.”

What is not acceptable here?

“I have a limited amount of space here so I don’t carry large equipment such as cribs. I will take a phone number and pass that on. We do not accept car seats or items that have been recalled. I check all items on the internet to safeguard against this.”

– Bob Duke