Wilson Welcomes Sustainable Children's Resale Store with Grand Opening Celebration

The new Once Upon A Child location in Wilson celebrated its grand opening on October 30, bringing the popular children's resale concept to local families seeking affordable shopping options while supporting environmental sustainability. Located at 2101 Tarboro St., the store offers gently used children's clothing, shoes, toys, accessories, and equipment at reduced prices while providing cash payments to families selling their unwanted items.

Local owner Rease Newton, a former educator and mother of three, recognized the need for such a store in her hometown after regularly making 45-minute trips to the nearest location. "Wilson is such a hardworking, family-oriented community, and I'm excited to give local parents a place where they can save money, shop sustainably, and connect with others," Newton stated. She operates the business with her parents, Tom and Tonya Allen, who serve as co-owners.

The grand opening celebration extends through the weekend with various family-friendly activities and promotions. Thursday through Sunday features a bounce house courtesy of Bounce-N-Style and raffle giveaways from local businesses. Opening day included special treats for the first 25 customers, who received $25 gift cards, along with free face painting, a petting zoo from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., and traveling goats provided by The Painted Farmer. Customers also enjoyed free cupcakes while supplies lasted.

Friday's Halloween festivities include El Cafecito mobile coffee cart from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., a superhero appearance from 2-4 p.m., and trick-or-treating around the store from 4-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday feature William's Creations selling food on-site, with Sunday offering double points in customer loyalty accounts for every $10 spent or sold to the store.

Once Upon A Child's business model addresses both economic and environmental concerns by keeping children's items in circulation rather than sending them to landfills. Unlike traditional consignment stores, the franchise pays immediately for accepted items without requiring appointments. The store maintains strict safety standards, with staff trained to identify and remove recalled products while ensuring all merchandise meets current safety requirements.

As part of Winmark – the Resale Company, Once Upon A Child contributes to a larger sustainability effort that has helped recycle over 2 billion items since 2010 across its franchise brands. The Wilson location represents the growing trend of conscious consumerism, where families can access quality children's products while reducing environmental impact. For store information, visit https://onceuponachild.com/locations/wilson-nc/.