Plum surprising: a most unusual fundraiser

By Meira Davidowitz

For one thing, it's not a consignment shop; all the merchandise is from donors who receive a tax-deductible receipt for their gift.

For another, the profits go to Yeshiva Darchei Torah's intervention programs, the Rabenstein Learning Center, the school's resource room; the Weiss Vocational Program, where high school students get hands-on instruction in a number of trades and technical fields; and the Adult Weiss Vocational Program, where adults can retrain for new careers.

Plum "[is] a way to make money without asking people to write a check," said Joel Kaplan, a Darchei board member and former president who supervises Plum. "It's a win-win all the way."

The yeshiva hired Chava Lowy to manage the store, "and she made the store gorgeous," Kaplan said in praise.

Jazz plays in the background, the walls are purple and the atmosphere is relaxed. "We try to keep things young and exciting...not like a regular store," explained Lowy.

The shoppers and the merchandise at Plum are diverse and there is lots of activity at any given moment. One woman approaches the manager inquiring after a bag she saw there the other day. Another woman wheels her stroller around the store, browsing the shelves, while a third places a bag of donations on the counter. On one table stands a stack of books about art and French furniture while nearby another table displays women's hats. The tables are for sale, too. Plum sells everything from fruit knives to light fixtures and, of course, clothing.

Only high-end clothing makes it to the shelves (Gap and up). Plum offers designer wear for less - a lot less. "Most people are looking for a good find, a steal," Lowy said.

Along with two other women, she sorts, inspects, prices, shelves, and sells the merchandise. Pricing is determined by demand, brand and an item's value on eBay, the online shopping and auction site. For example, jean skirts are more popular and therefore more expensive than jean pants that move a lot more slowly.

Donations overflow to a storage room in the back that is too full to walk into at the moment but lack of storage space will not inhibit Plum. If there is not enough space to hold valuable merchandise, Plum will rent space elsewhere, Lowy said.

She used to rent maternity gowns from her home but moved the gowns to the store where she now spends most of her time. The gowns make a negligible profit, she reports, because most of the income goes into buying new gowns.

Plum is engaging the community. Last week a Facebook page was created. A silent auction is being planned, Lowy plans on making a calendar of events for the store window, and she is contemplating selling online.