On May 1st Rag-O-Rama, a unique resale boutique, opened in the Broad Ripple Station Shopping Center. Rag-O-Rama is owned by Columbus, Ohio resident Vance Whitner. After exploring the Broad Ripple area, Whitner decided this was where Rag-O-Rama would set up shop. The Indianapolis store is the fourth location; preceded by Columbus, OH; Atlanta, GA; and St. Louis, MO.

The stores carry casual street wear, shoes, and accessories as well as party attire (a huge hit around Halloween). Reviewed as "the vintage-trendy-punk look," you can find a complete outfit with everything from home stitched vintage to designer shoes. This store is a perfect fit for the Village and for the shoppers here. The racks are stocked with sizes extra small to plus sizes for women and up to a size 40 for men. Size matters but what else makes Rag-O-Rama special? "We don't aim towards one specific clientele," says manager Lauren Halfen. "What we buy for the area reflects what we sell." They also order-in a small portion of their stock because let's face it, if all of our existing items were in style we wouldn't be shopping for new ones.

Don't expect to sell all, or even half, of what you bring in to Rag-O-Rama. On average, they'll purchase about 10% of the items that come in. But don't let their selectiveness hurt your feelings. Being choosey about what they buy also means that you'll only have to look through the best of the best while you're shopping.

Unlike typical resale shops Rag-O-Rama gives you cash or credit up front instead of consigning your goods. They price the items for the store, then pay you 50% of that price in trade or 35% in cash. In effect, you can turn your rags into riches. To give you an idea, I took in fifteen items, sold two, and left with fourteen dollars in my pocket. Admittedly, with the great selection and constant rotation of stock, it takes a very determined person to walk out with cash instead of clothes or credit. But who'd want cash when you can have clothes?