THE SECOND TIME AROUND

by
Helen M. Davis

“Love is lovelier, the second time around,” goes the old Frank Sinatra standard and for those who have been unlucky in love the first time, it may well be true. However, the same can apply to clothes and when one visits Twice as Nice Boutique on the corner of 6th Street and Ivy in Junction City, they find themselves greeted by racks of women’s barely used clothing bearing prices that give the nearby Goodwill and St. Vincent de Paul a run for their money.

Owned and operated by Wendy Cronk for the last two and a half years, the business is the marriage of a career change and a passion for thrifting. Previously, Wendy, who grew up in Alvadore where she still resides, and graduated from Willamette High, worked at Columbia Distributing for 17 years as a Beverage Coordinator. However, running a business is in her blood as her parents owned Sparky’s Bar and Grill as well as an excavation business. It only took a “split second” for her to decide to start a business of her own.

The community, Wendy says, has been great, and people have been very supportive. The fact that she was able to get customers right away was very impressive to her. Most of her merchandise is brought in by customers who either receive a cash payout or in-store credit for their gently used items. She will also purchase a few pieces of clothing new that she will then sell at shows. Because plus sized clothing can be difficult to find, Wendy always makes sure to have size 0-4x available for larger customers and those who wander in can also find shoes, hats, jewelry, and purses so one can properly accessorize their newfound treasures.

Wendy says her biggest thing is to support others while having them support her business and to that end, she has opened some of her shelves to local vendors such as candy maker Sugar Daddyz, Soy Vibes, a mother/daughter 100% soy candle business, a jewelry maker from Halsey, and a key chain tumbler from nearby Cheshire.

Mobile events are another facet of the business and to get to them with her wares, Wendy travels in a 1963 vintage trailer that she has taken to Refunk Junk, the Brownsville Antique Fair, the Blackberry Fest at the Linn County fairgrounds, and shows in Reedsport. This has enabled her to build up her clientele as have her Facebook and Instagram pages. If someone sees an outfit online that is their size and to their liking, Wendy says, she is willing to ship it to them.

Wendy would like to sell men’s clothing as well and would gladly do so if a larger space can be found. Recently, she has been scouting out storefronts in Veneta for a second location and doing her homework, though she sees challenges in being able to find employees should the right locale become available.

So, for now, Wendy has contented herself with her corner store and takes pride in having a safe place for women to shop after issues have been experienced at other stores such as harassment and being followed into dressing rooms. Here, kids can color while women shop and high school students who frequently come in know the door is always open to them and they, too, are safe.

Next spring, Wendy hopes to hold a prom dress give away at the rec center and she has already allowed Junction City High School seniors to sell hotdogs and sodas out in front of her store in order to raise money. At Christmas, she holds a toy drive where customers donate a toy for the Moose Lodge’s collection, and she donates both time and money to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Most recently, Wendy has begun getting into making and selling custom t-shirts, but she is already looking to the future. Once she grows her business in Junction City and opens that second location in Veneta, she plans to step back from the boutiques and use her 8 years of having run an in-home bakery to open a restaurant. With her can-do attitude and sunny outlook, it will no doubt be a success, too.
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When it comes to thrifting, it truly is the thrill of the find. You never know when you walk through the doors what you will stumble across and wind up leaving with. If you can get these things on sale and save even more money, so much the better. It truly is possible to look like a million bucks on a budget and bling doesn’t have sting. Just check out Twice as Nice and see what treasures wait for you.