Johnny’s House

Yay! I’m glad to review because I love this place. It’s a small consignment/​thrift store that shares it space with Nippon Video. They always have eclectic things ranging from the usual thrift store fare, like dishes and clothing, to the more obscure like authentic Japanese tea sets and crystal. The also sell used furniture and have had some pretty impressive pieces come through.
I picked up some used electronic items that were reasonably priced from here and they are still in very good working order. Like with all thrift and consignment stores, it’s hit or miss whether or not you’ll find something you need or want to buy. But for the most part I like to browse this store and will continually recommend it.

Dropped by today because I heard someone talking about this recycle shop. It really is strange, because it’s inside a Japanese Video Store but I was curious and thought I would give this place a try.
You have two choices. You can set the price — and the store gets 40%, you get 60%. They will keep the item for 2 months to see if it sells. OR — if you’re in a hurry, you can basically see if they would BUY your items right on the spot without consignment.
Beware: The store is extremely picky about what they will buy from you, and when they do, it’s pennies. For example, a never worn aloha shirt or a brand new pair of jeans — I believe both was bought for a DOLLAR. I dropped off 2 bags full of items (they weren’t dirty, some still had the store tags on them!) and the lady was like «Here’s your $ 12.00». Cheap much? The part I didn’t like was how she didn’t like me standing near her when she was calculating how much my items were. She pretty much directed me to go away (and browse the store) while she went through everything. When she was done, a pile of items she didn’t want was on the floor, and she took only the most expensive, brand name items. No itemized list or anything. Did she really calculate everything?
For consignment — First, they will argue with you when discussing pricing — and will tell you how much something similar is being sold on an auction website. Thing is, that’s an AUCTION website and they start at a low price. Doesn’t mean THE VALUE of the item is equal to one auction site. They will keep your item for about 2 months. If they don’t sell, they will call you and will ask that you come pick it up.
The problem is, they have no clue how to «display» an item so that it would look appealing to customers. They just pile them, or place them on a shelf with no rhyme or reason. Of course it isn’t going to sell. One time I had an item in their store for weeks. One day she called me asking me to come get the item that never sold. I took time out of my day to drive there, and the lady was busy with another customer. I said I’m here to pick up the item that didn’t sell. She says «OH, that item sold earlier today. I had it here behind the cash register area and someone wanted to see it, and then bought it» No sorry, or sorry for not letting you know. Glad it sold, but how funny that it didn’t sell for 2 months, and then when the item was near the cash register (for me to pick up) it sells. She pretty much handed me my share of the $ and then ran to the customer she was helping. They act like they’re doing you a favor by keeping your items in the store — they should realize they wouldn’t have a business unless people bring in their stuff.
Note: They sell items like sofas, coffee tables, etc — but they do NOT pick up items from your home. I don’t know if I would buy any furniture from here though — they do not look like they were cleaned or sanitized. I sat on a sofa one time (hawaiiana type sofa) and my entire body got itchy afterwards. I asked my friend that sat with me, and she said that she noticed she got itchy too. What was on/​in the sofa? Fleas? Mites? ew… :(

It was a strange to stop in Nippon Video and see cool secondhand items smack dab in the middle of their store. There is a separate entrance on Kaheka Street or you can use the Nippon video entrance. It’s a fairly small section of secondhand items that overflows into the back of Nippon video.
This place reminds me of a miniature Saver’s except that you have less BS to sift through. There are random things in this thrift shop but I was pleasantly surprised by some of the high quality items. I saw a good variety of baby items such as Ergo carrier, Chico stroller, a Bugaboo, and play mats. There was a good variety of designer bags such as Prada, Fendi, and Gucci. I’m still regretting not getting that Prada purse for $ 45! The furniture was a good mix of vintage and new. I saw a nice bamboo couch set w/​matching coffee table for $ 750 in great condition BTW. The best section was the children’s clothing. It seems they only carry good brands. The kinds you would take a while to hunt down at Savers or Goodwill. I saw brands such as Polo, Children’s Place, Gymoboree, Gap, and even Miki House.
Unilocal 31 Day Challenge: #11/​31
Introducing Johnny’s!