One new spot that has been changing the way locals and visitors view consignment shopping is The Garb Collection. Located in Ocean City at 1014 Asbury Ave, this resale store opened in March 2025 after owner Caitlin Quirk saw a need.
It was in 2019 when Quirk became hyperaware of sustainability practices and the amount of waste we as a society create. She began to look into her own trash output as a business owner and went on a journey to try and find better business practices.
“Through my research I learned that when you donate clothing, around 80% of it is typically sent to a landfill or an incinerator, which then sent me on a long journey of how we get rid of clothes. We all accumulate so many clothes that we end up not needing, so what do we do with it?” Quirk asked herself.
But it wasn’t until 2023 while she was in Iceland for her wedding that the idea really came to life. While there, she realized how incredibly circular the country was and saw how they dealt with used clothing. Quirk shared that every store there had a section where people could resell the clothes they had bought there that they no longer needed. Inspired, she knew she wanted to bring that idea back with her to America.
“I wanted to help empower these people that have these good quality clothes and be able to resell them in a more user-friendly way. I tried Poshmark and selling online, but the experience wasn’t great. I wanted to give an in-person option where they could try things on and return things if they didn’t work,” Quirk said. “I wanted to find a way to keep clothing in circulation and to empower consumers that have products to resell in a more efficient and user-friendly way.”
And that’s exactly what she did. She opened the doors to The Garb Collection in March and has been going strong ever since. Quirk tailors the experience to everyday people on both the consumer side and the seller side.
Anyone who has a need to get rid of clothes can sign up and book a closet space right online. All closet spaces are rented out short-term, from 10 to 30 days, ensuring there is always someone new coming in or leaving so the inventory stays fresh.
On the consumer side, anyone is welcome to come shop. The store is structured differently than most, with each individual seller’s closet space kept together. So instead of shopping by size, customers shop by each seller’s personal style and size range. If one closet matches your style, you might stick to that section, and if it doesn’t, there are 93 other closets to browse through.
In the theme of empowering the sellers who choose The Garb Collection to be in full control, Quirk shared that each person who rents a closet space can set the sale price on every item they are selling.
“It’s a completely unique shopping experience. Along with setting your own prices, you decide how many days you want to rent for and when you want to start. You can also select the closet you want to rent out within the store,” Quirk said. “Some people’s intentions are really to just get rid of their old things, so the people who come in and shop can find really incredible deals in a way that you would never find in a different boutique.”
All sellers renting a space can expect a daily rental fee for the closets as well as a commission split, but the pricing isn’t fixed as it is performance-driven. Quirk shared they adjust the daily rental fee to ensure people walk away with 40% of the total sale volume, but sellers can make upwards of 65% since it is performance based. The goal is to ensure both the seller and the consumer leave satisfied. Whether someone purchases a high-quality outfit for a fraction of the original price or clears out closet space while making a little extra cash, the point of The Garb Collection is to reduce waste while empowering both sellers and consumers.
As Quirk was looking for a place to bring this vision to life, at first she wasn’t sure how it would do in a community like Ocean City.
“I had been a part of the community and had gotten good feedback from the people I mentioned it to, but I wasn’t sure how it would go. I just knew I wanted to try,” Quirk said. “I wanted to challenge people’s perception. There is a negative stigma around reselling clothes, which I did experience in OC at first, but I felt so confident that people would see the value and that the negative stigma would go away, and that came to fruition. Everyone has been so excited about us opening and being able to get a really high-quality item for a fraction of the price and, on the flip side, make a little money on stuff you’re not using anymore.”
The Garb Collection has certainly done all that Quirk envisioned and more. The Ocean City location is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The shop has seen such success that a new location in Collingswood opened last month as well. As more shoppers look for sustainable and affordable ways to refresh their wardrobes, The Garb Collection is proving that resale shopping can be both stylish and community-driven.
