On any given weekday, Bob Klausner can be found at a number of regional thrift stores looking at the most interesting and salable art, overlooked designer handbags and finest of silver. Bob isn’t a vintage dealer or an eagle-eyed bargain hunter, though he embodies all of those qualities and more as director of retail operations for the National Council of Jewish Women’s Thrift Shops. He is tall and affable, with neatly combed silver hair and a well-trimmed mustache — and one wouldn’t immediately suspect that he heads a chain of thrift stores that have become the ultimate treasure trove for fashionistas and vintage hunters in Los Angeles.
The fact becomes crystal clear, however, as soon as Klausner enters the Fairfax store; employees light up and eagerly chat with him — they know who their retail savior is. Friendly and gracious to everyone working inside, Klausner and his team talk shop but can barely be heard above the constant sound of hangers slap-clapping against each other as shoppers quickly flip through find after find around the circular racks. Depending on the day, designer clothes and accessories by the likes of Gucci, Lanvin, Chloe and Etro often can be found in the store, mostly for women, but men’s goods are well-represented, too. On a recent day, one handsome shopper crowed aloud at finding an Oscar de la Renta blazer, thrilled to find a collector’s item so soon after the beloved designer’s death.
Beyond the clothing racks in the Fairfax store lies an impressively arrayed furniture section to the left and behind that a fairly large collection of shoes, handbags and kitchenware. Display cases filled with jewelry and silver artfully line a sales counter in the middle of the store. If this doesn’t look like your typical thrift shop, customers can thank Klausner for that.
Some 10 years ago, Klausner was set to semi-retire after four decades in the clothing industry. He had been at the helm of T.J. Maxx for 15 years, then moved on to run, co-own and sell Clothestime, a chain of discount retail stores across the country. But the New York transplant was growing restless and wanted to do something where he could give back. He ended up finding his calling in an ad in the back pages of CareerBuilder. It seemed tailor made for Klausner: a challenging job remaking an altruistic operation that was right in his wheelhouse.
The National Council of Jewish Women/Los Angeles (NCJW/LA) agreed: “We got a lot of resumes,” said Hillary Selvin, executive director of NCJW/LA, speaking from its headquarters in the heart of the Fairfax District. “When you get a resume like Bob’s, you’re wondering why is he applying for the position. It was all about timing.”
“In everyone’s mind, a thrift store is a junk store,” Klausner said as he sat enveloped in a comfortable black leather sofa (a donation) in Selvin’s office. “I tried to make them true retail stores rather than thrift stores.”
In addition to revamping the look, he has created a buzz around the chain of thrift shops. He’s drawn customers to the stores in droves by putting on special events, dubbed the “best of the best.” Every six to eight weeks, the most select items, often designer and in good condition, would go on sale at 80 to 90 percent off their retail value prices. People lined up around the block to go to those sales.
NCJW/LA stopped doing the “best” sales a couple of years ago, however, once the staff saw they could maintain customers more consistently by putting most designer items directly on the floor but also holding a small percentage back to sell on eBay. Klausner’s savvy has tapped into a worldwide customer base eager to buy some of those quality goods, and he has transformed a part of the Fairfax store offices into the home base for its eBay business.
Since taking over retail operations a decade ago, Klausner has tripled the volume of what the Council’s thrift shops brings in per year. Close to 80 percent of NCJW/LA’s revenue comes from its eight thrift stores, which strategically dot the Los Angeles retail landscape.
They’ve grown to have a sort of cult following, and it isn’t unusual for serious shoppers to visit a couple of the Council thrift shops in a single day. Some crafty bargain hunters lie in wait, eyeing the employees shuttling back and forth from the back room, while others try to anticipate donation drop-offs.
Donations roll in from all eight stores, and employees like Devi Capowich have an eye for identifying valuable objects from all over the world. But everything is always priced at a fraction of its original cost, as a lure to bring bargain hunters into the stores.
Employees are nice and known at certain stores to let customers haggle a little; but don’t push your luck with prices that are already so low. The deals can be eye-poppingly fantastic: Yves St. Laurent bags with original tags still on them for less than $100; Alexander McQueen jackets at $65 and pristine vintage mirrored end tables for $110.
And best of all, the NCJW folks are not too upset when a great item has escaped one of their appraising eyes. “Yes, things will slip through,” Selvin admitted with a smile, “but that’s the great thing about the thrift store experience.”
Klausner doesn’t worry whether some items will be priced too low, either. “We try our best to make sure everything is priced correctly, but if someone gets something worth $1,000 for $10, I say God bless them.” With thousands of donations coming in each week, it’s critical to get items out on the floor quickly.
Sophia Orshanky, a kind-hearted, loyal employee, works tirelessly to make sure the process runs smoothly at all the locations and on eBay. She has become Klausner’s right hand for the retail operations. A Russian immigrant, she started more than 30 years ago working on the floor and is now the assistant director of retail operations. “She is a natural at retail,” Klausner said with pride.
The most critical part of the process is keeping the donations coming in. Not only does the second life mean the goods are being put to much greener use than if they had been tossed out, the money earned from their recycling goes directly to helping those most in need. And the proceeds benefit the entire community of Los Angeles, not just the Jewish community: Each donation of furniture, clothing, housewares, toys and books generates revenue that directly serves thousands of women and children, providing everything from counseling to support groups to scholarships to clothing and book giveaways.
And, with each donation also yielding a tax-deduction receipt (accepted by the IRS), any trip to the NCJW/LA has the potential for providing a great deal — whether you’re dropping in or just dropping off.
And for Klausner himself, the Council thrift shops have been the ultimate find: “It’s the perfect way to end my retail career — by giving back.”
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