Rhea Lana’s Children’s Consignment has very humble beginnings. Like in a small living room beginnings. Rhea Lana Riner sought out high-quality, low-cost items for her children, but she could not afford name brands and boutique clothes for her kids. So, she became an expert at shopping garage sales and consignment stores, always on the hunt for the amazing bargain. Since she could always use extra money, she would hold a garage sale and absolutely couldn’t believe that shoppers offered a nickel when she knew it was worth at least $7.50! She was also frustrated with her experience at consignment stores, who often lost her valuable items and offered no explanation.
In 1995, her husband Dave left the corporate world and they moved their young family from the panhandle of Texas to Conway, Arkansas so he could begin a new job in full-time ministry. Over the next 2 years, there was an idea forming in Rhea Lana’s heart and mind. She thought it would be fun to invite some girls to get together and buy and sell each other’s clothes.
So, in the fall of 1997, when her youngest child was heading off to preschool, she decided to send out invitations to The Children’s Clothing Exchange. Her husband told her she could get the bulk postage rate if she came up with a hundred names, so she worked hard to come up with 100 moms to invite. She was tickled when 11 friends responded! They brought her their clothes, and she did the rest – washed, ironed, priced, and tagged everything. Dave and Rhea Lana moved all the furniture out of their living room and piled it into their bedroom. She rented 3 clothing racks and held our first sale. They even had a few shoppers!
After that very first sale, Dave suggested they computerize everything so that consignors could enter their items online, enabling them to generate barcoded tags. She told him that he was crazy, there was no way women were going to do that! In 1997, unless moms were involved in the business community or corporate world, home computers were unnecessary. Moms certainly didn’t use email or surf the web in those days. As usual, her husband was right and ahead of his time. From that time until now, they have worked hard on developing their unique, copyrighted software and they continually strive to increase and improve its operating functions.
She organized and held consignment sales in her home for the next several years. Each year they added another room of the house. Looking back, she says it was really nutty. They had piles of clothes everywhere, that she was preparing and pricing for other moms. Eventually, the sale expanded into their entire house, including the garage.
It’s always been important to her, even in those days, that shoppers have a high-quality experience and that consignors’ items were guaranteed. When consignors came to pick up their check, if an item was missing, she always paid them for it. Simply because that’s how she would have wanted to be treated all those years ago when her valuable items were lost by consignment stores.
Her neighbors were glad when they finally moved the sale out of our home – it had grown beyond moms who were her friends. Since then, she has learned how to have high-quality events in many different venues. Over the years, she kept trying new things, learning more about business, and finding the right formulas with marketing, customer service, establishing systems, and more.
Over the last 25 years, Rhea Lana’s has grown to a nationally recognized, award-winning franchise with over 120 active franchises, in 26 states and counting. Rhea Lana’s started as a business to serve young families and has experienced tremendous growth over the last two decades, however, the core values prevail.
Rhea Lana’s offers moms around the country what every family is looking for: the chance to earn a paycheck off outgrown items, purchase high-quality pieces at budget-friendly prices, and business opportunities for parents searching for flexibility.
THE FOUNDER
Hello, I’m Rhea Lana, founder and namesake of Rhea Lana’s. I’ve been a busy mom just like you, trying to stretch the family budget while still providing my kids with quality items.
I’m happily married to Dave, my college sweetheart, for 35 years and counting. Although he is behind the scenes in our company, he plays a vital role. He has Biomedical and Chemical Engineering Degrees from Vanderbilt and an MBA from the University of Arkansas. I’m a Mom to three grown children and Nonna to my granddaughter Lana (honored to have another generation to fight the battle of correct name pronunciation), and grandsons Brooks and Shepherd. I’m an exercise lover with an exercise physiology degree. I still run for fun, even in my 50s.
I’m probably best known as a regular stay-at-home mom turned entrepreneur when the idea for a children’s clothing swap came to life.
I never intended to be a business person. I had never sold a product in my life – and never wanted to, but I am deeply thankful to God for putting this desire in my heart, pushing me out of my comfort zone, and blessing my attempts to build this business. Just as with any pursuit, there have been highs and lows, victories, and challenges, but I was raised to be a hard worker and to never give up. So, even in those days when I was paying my assistant more than I was making and wanted to quit, thankfully, family and friends encouraged me to keep persevering. I will forever be grateful to friends and family who came and worked a shift at our event, cleaned bathrooms and so much more. Our company would not be where it is today without the unwavering support of my husband and family. They have each had their turn sorting clothes, loading racks, working the computers, listening to the phone ring off the wall, having their computers hauled out of their bedrooms so that I could use them at the event, magnets on the family car, yard signs in our yard, and oh, so much more! My dear father sorted hangers and even painted walls for me so that I could have a “pretty” store – even though my event only lasted a few days. My mom is the only one who worked with me at my house in the early years and was our primary door greeter!
This business began as a ministry to young families, and in many ways, it still is. My heart desires to add value to the lives of families by providing excellent quality merchandise at affordable prices. It’s also my desire to help women learn to gracefully wear those hats that we all wear – and to mature personally, professionally, spiritually, and emotionally.
I’m beyond thankful I am close enough to hop in the car for a few hours and arrive at my daughter’s doorstep to help with my three grandkids. That’s where my heart is, professionally and personally: helping moms navigate and enjoy motherhood.
