Up from the ashes

Four months after her former workplace went up in flames, Deanna Johnson opened her own store

Deanna and Chris Johnson opened Trade Your Treasures Consignment on September 4, 2012. — Marie Milner photo

Deanna Johnson enjoyed managing Campbell Consignment on Cranbrook’s Baker Street. As the mother of six children—two of them happily inherited when she married her husband, Chris—Johnson knew the importance of economizing on clothing and toys. Reusing and recycling were second nature for her, so working in a consignment store that specialized in children’s merchandise was a perfect fit.

“I know how important it is to have a place to take the clothing and toys you no longer need,” Johnson said, “and to have them be worth something so that you can get some replacements."

When Campbell Consignment burned to the ground in the spring of 2012, Johnson knew that the community would feel the loss. She decided to capitalize on her considerable experience, and she and Chris opened their own consignment store. On September 4, Trade Your Treasures Consignment opened for business at 2, 101 - 7th Avenue South in Cranbrook. The store is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"Low-income families need support. The cost of living is high, and this store helps,” Johnson said.

Trade Your Treasures is a little larger than Campbell’s was, so Johnson is able to handle a larger variety of stock.

“I take in new and lightly used items, specializing in children’s merchandise, and I give the consigner a 50 per cent  in-store credit,” she said. “I handle menswear, ladies’ wear, children’s wear, native crafts and lots of sports equipment, and I’m happy to say the store is really busy.”