Crazy J's Home Furnishings & More

Big Chester Chest of Drawers

Crazy J’s is proud to announce the arrival of our first shipment of Made in the USA furniture manufactured and built in South Dakota. Each piece of furniture is assigned a serial number and signed by the individual that built the piece to assure full quality control tracking.

Bedroom furniture, bookcases, desks, and more are stocked for your shopping pleasure.

We also offer financing options for both furniture and mattresses to help you budget your purchases and ease the burden of a large expenditure.

With the Crazy J’s Home Design Credit Card, you can enjoy special financing options* so you can purchase the products you really want or need. Stop in today and be sure to ask us about special financing options!
(*Subject to credit approval. Minimum monthly payments required. See store for details.)

Pricing philosophy at Crazy J’s is grounded in the fact that with the economy in such terrible condition, our goal is to try to provide our customers with the best possible deal and make a small and fair profit from each sale. We understand how tough things are right now, so we honestly believe you will not find a better deal on furniture and mattresses anywhere else in this region.

Youth Bedroom Suite

Stop in and visit Crazy J’s the next time you are in the area. We may surprise you!

Open Mon-Fri 10am to 8pm and Sunday Noon to 4pm for your shopping convenience.

Modern Bedroom Suite

Variety of Desks & Workstations

Platinum & Black Entertainment Stand

Do you need a job?

In this economy, job seekers are finding it harder and harder to find work, and many are asking why it doesn’t seem to be improving. Why are local merchants always telling them that they don’t have anything available for them to do even at minimum wages.

Let me share my observations and thoughts for a moment.

About 2 to 3 times per week, a person will walk into my store and ask if I am hiring. There are several things about this that I find interesting as I will list below:

• The person has no clue what my business does and has never been in my business.
• The person looks like they just crawled out of bed or is ready for the beach.
• The person has not given any thought at all to presenting themselves as a potential employee.
• The person doesn’t seem to care if I say yes or no to their inquiry.

When a person walks into my store asking if I am hiring, the first question I always ask them is “Have you ever shopped in my store?”  The answer I always get is, “No.”

Now, go back and re-read that last statement and think about that for a second or two before continuing. It would make you think that we are not teaching our youth anything about preparing themselves for the world of job seeking. What ever happened to a person researching a business and finding out everything they could about the business before applying for a job so they could not only impress the potential employer and show their true interest in the business, but also to prepare themselves for questions about why they would make a good fit for that particular business.

My typical response to these people is to explain to them in fairly layman terms why I am unable to offer them work at the present time. Keep in mind, I never mention their appearance, attitude, or anything about them personally, as I understand that everyone has a bad day now and then, and others are just so desperate to find work that they really never think about their appearance or presentation skills.

I always tell a job seeker that in order for a local business to provide job opportunities, they need to shop at local businesses.

Most people instead, shop at big-box corporate giants, which in turn is heavily supporting the Chinese and corporate world instead of supporting their local economy. More and more small businesses are closing their doors permanently and people are wondering why. The more small businesses that close, the less jobs that are available to a local community. People are then forced to commute farther and farther in hopes of finding work in another community. That works for some, but for others, the cost of transportation, longer child-care hours, and less quality time spent with their families ends up costing them more than the job is worth. This results in higher unemployment and more taxpayers supporting more families drawing unemployment and welfare benefits.

My recommendation to anyone seeking employment with a local business is to first become a customer of that business. Then, try to tell as many other people as possible about that business and encourage them to become a customer as well. Find out what the business is about. What products to they carry. What do they do to help support the local community. Are the owners/managers local residents as well? Once you know as much as possible about that business, and you have done everything you can to help get more people to shop at that business, then walk in the door dressed as if you are ready to go to work on the spot. Politely ask to speak to the owner or manager about potential job opportunities. Present your case to the owner/manager by telling them what you have done to become familiar with their business, support their business, and how your employment at their business would be a benefit to them. Make your case.

You may not always succeed in getting hired with the above approach, but I guarantee that if a job is not currently available at that business, your name will certainly be at the top of their list when a position does become available. If you don’t CARE about the business you are asking to hire you, then why should you expect them to care about hiring you?

So, in closing, always remember:

1. Become a customer.
2. Learn as much as you can about the business.
3. Promote the business to your friends and family.
4. Prepare yourself to make the best presentation of yourself as possible.
5. Present yourself as if you are going to be hired on the spot, and not after you have showered and changed clothes.
6. Be honest, genuine, respectful, and always remember to have at least a one page resume or information sheet about yourself prepared to leave with the prospective business. They may not hire you then, but they have something physical in their hands to remember you by along with your personal impression that you leave them.

Open 7 Days a Week

Each day, I interact with dozens of people in our consignment store, as I like to make people feel welcome and a part of our extended family. However, the one thing that always surprises me is when I am having a discussion with someone about our store and they look surprised when I tell them that we sell things for people.

So, let’s talk about what a “Consignment Store” is really all about. You may get varying degrees of discussion on this subject, but following is my definition of what “our” consignment store is all about.

A quality and professionally operated consignment store is a vital part of a local economy. As a consignment store owner, I live in this community, work in this community, and shop in this community, so I want to make sure I contribute as much and give back to this community as much as possible.

1. People of the community bring high quality items that they no longer want or need into our store to be sold “on consignment.” The items they bring in to be sold should be Clean, Quality, and Fairly priced (we can help you determine a fair price if you like).
2. An individual will be “paid” for their item(s) after they are sold. That is where the term “consignment” comes into play. Your items are placed in our store “on consignment” meaning that once it is sold, you receive your portion of the price the item sells for.
3. When a person’s items are sold, they receive a percentage of the sale price for their items and the consignment store receives a percentage of the sale price. The percentages paid will vary from store to store. It could be anywhere from a 50/50 percentage split to as much as a 70/30 split. The average in the Hampton Roads Region is a 60/40 split, meaning the person bringing the item in for sale will receive 60 percent of the price the item sells for, and the store will receive 40 percent. Always be sure you understand and agree to the seller/store split when you take items into any consignment store, and ensure you have a copy of the signed contract (read it all and ask for any changes that you are not comfortable with before signing it), as well as a copy of the inventory list of item(s) you are dropping off to be sold.
4. Once you bring things into a consignment store to be sold, you become the “consignor” and the store is the “consignee.” Simply an agreement between two parties that one is providing the goods to be sold, and the other is agreeing to pay for those goods after they sell.
5. A consignor (you) will typically receive payment once each month for any item(s) of theirs that have sold in a specified time frame. For example, in our store, we print checks on the 10^th of each month for all items that were sold in the previous month. If you had 10 items on consignment in our store in the month of July, and 5 of those items sold during July, you would receive a check for your portion of the sales on the 10^th of August.
6. A consignment is typically limited in time. Most consignment stores range from a rare 30 day period up to a 120 day period. I believe the average in this region is 60 to 90 days, and ours is a 60 day period. We limit our consignment period to 60 days for several reasons. First, we want to ensure that there is always fresh and changing merchandise in our store for shoppers. We also know from experience that an item that remains too long is either priced wrong, not the type of item most people are shopping for, or it is not the proper season for the item (i.e. a winter jacket in the middle of summer).

Now that you know more specifically what a consignment store is or should be, let’s look at why it is such a vital part of your local community.

When people of a community have a place to sell items they no longer need or want, they are then paid for the items, which puts money back into the pockets of local residents. Consignment stores not only place money back into the local economy, but most of them also contribute to the local community in other ways by supporting local charities, providing local jobs, and providing a place for the local residents to purchase quality items at a fraction of the price they would typically pay in a large retail store.

Find a local consignment store that you feel comfortable with, where you are treated with respect and dignity, and where you are comfortable that the items you are bringing in for sale are in the hands of someone that will always protect your items and be fully honest with you in all of their dealings with your account.

Being attentive to customers is part of my passion in striving for 100% customer satisfaction. Not only do I make every effort to have each customer greeted as they enter our store, I also make every effort to ensure any questions or concerns they have are fully addressed. We are always open to customer feedback both positive and negative. We value customer comments and take every suggestion, idea, and comment seriously and try to adjust where we can to implement quality ideas.

Here at Crazy J’s Consignments, we are always looking for ways to help our community, and we value each person that walks through our doors. Open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 8pm and Sunday from 12 Noon to 6pm.

In addition to items consigned for sale in our store, we occasionally find quality items and gifts from other sources that offer excellent value for our customers. We recently became licensed and bonded in the Commonwealth of Virginia as a precious metals dealer as well. This means we now can buy gold, silver, platinum, and silver coins from our customers. We know that most people selling their precious metal items/jewelry are typically doing so for some much needed extra cash. That’s why we pay more than just about any other place you could find to sell these types of items. We always say, “have it checked and get an offer anywhere, then bring it to us to see what you could be getting for it from a local community store.” So far, we have 100% positive feedback from people brining in their items to be sold. Since we are purchasing jewelry items now, this also means we are starting to have a growing inventory of quality jewelry items for sale in our display cases. Gold and Silver jewelry items that are high quality and worthy of your consideration, and priced far below retail pricing of a typical jewelry store.

In closing, I hope this has helped you learn a little more about what your local “Consignment Store” is really all about, and how together, “WE” can make a big difference in our local community. The key is not just a place to sell your items, but a place to shop that puts money back into your pocket and the pockets of the local community. We look forward to seeing you on your next visit, and feel free to mention this article to me on your next visit. I may have a little surprise for you.

Crazy J’s Consignments
2352 George Washington Memorial Hwy
Hayes, VA 23072
(804) 684-5601

(Hayes Plaza Shopping Center – One Mile North of the Coleman Bridge on Route 17)

After seeing so many people taken advantage of when selling their jewelry when they need a little extra income and getting much less than they should be getting, we took the time to obtain our license as a precious metals dealer here in Gloucester County, Virginia.

Now, if you need some extra income, or just want to get rid of some of those broken gold, silver, or platinum chains that you no longer wear or need, we can offer you the best market price for your items. Simply stop in to see us. We will let you sit with us while we show you how we test your items for purity, weigh it for accuracy, and show you how we calculate the value of your items based on the current day’s spot price of precious metals.

No longer do you have to be at the mercy of some unscrupulous dealers. Now you can get what you deserve for your items and walk away with confidence that you got the best price possible.

Get the Right Price For Your Items!

Every month from February through December 2012, Crazy J’s Consignments is giving away a $100.00 Store Gift Card to one lucky winner.

Simply sign up for the Customer Rewards Program (it is Free), and every purchase you make give you another entry into the drawing for that month.

Drawings are held on the 1st of each month in the evening. Two random customers are chosen, with one drawing the winning name and the other witnessing the drawing.

Following are our first four winners:

February 2012 $100 Gift Card Winner – Milton Hudgins of Hayes, Virginia

March 2012 $100 Gift Card Winner – Rusty Brewer Jr. of Gloucester Point, Virginia

April 2012 $100.00 Gift Card Winner - Phillip Harris of Mechanicsville, VA

May 2012 $100.00 Gift Card Winner - Stanley Green of Gloucester Point, VA

CONGRATULATIONS to our first four winners. Check back later for more winners.

As Memorial Day approaches, it is a perfect time to find a few minutes in your day to reflect on America’s Heroes and what they mean to you.

Walking through my shop the today, I paused near some military clothing and equipment that made me do some serious thinking. Even though I am a retired Navy veteran myself, I had to think about the many military troops wearing the body armor, Kevlar helmets, field packs, and all of the other equipment and supplies strapped to their bodies as they work in extreme conditions all over the world. As a sailor in the Navy, even though we had what we considered arduous duty in many cases, I don’t believe any of it ever compares to what the ground soldiers are enduring to ensure our freedom is intact each day.

As a very small token of my appreciation for all of America’s Heroes, my consignment store “Crazy J’s Consignments” will be offering a full 10% discount to any active duty or retired military member during the Memorial Day weekend from May 26 through May 28th, 2012. We will continue to always offer a 5% military discount at all other times, but I am doubling the discount for the Memorial Day weekend as my small way of saying… THANK YOU to all of the men and women of the United States Armed Services.

After a relatively quiet and unusually mild Winter, Spring has finally arrived and everyone is welcoming the warm temperatures and sunny skies once again.

At Crazy J’s, we have been working hard to continue bringing in top quality merchandise at fair prices for all. The biggest movers seem to be furniture items and clothing. While our selection of clothing is large, it is still primarily women’s clothing, as we can’t seem to find the men willing to bring in top quality items for consignment. I think that may be that us guys tend to not buy new clothes as often, and what we do have, we wear it until it is falling off of us.

We will continue working on the menswear line and see if we can find some other sources for quality items.

Jeans are unbelievably priced right now, but they are moving slowly. Stop in and see if we have something in your size. You may be surprised how low the prices are on some of the ladies jeans we have now.

We have a new collection of sterling silver earrings and a few sterling silver necklaces as well. Very modestly priced for those looking for sterling silver jewelry items.

As we grow, we will be adding higher end jewelry items including gold, but it will take a little time to ensure we get the right quality at the right prices for our customers. We are also looking into buying silver coins from those that have a few here and there that they want to part with. If you are in the market to sell any of your silver coins, please make an appointment to bring in what you have for a quote.

After we secure proper licensing and certifications, we will be expanding into the gold buying business as well for those that have various jewelry items you no longer want or need. We are taking our time to ensure everything meets all laws and standards, as there are too many people in the gold buying business today that are either not licensed at all, paying unreasonably low prices for the items they are buying, or are hooked on so-called gold buying parties. When we begin our gold buying service, you can rest assured that we will be licensed, insured, bonded, certified, and meet all requirements of the state and federal government in order to ensure you are dealing with only the best in the business. We will also pay top prices for the items we buy so you make the most you possibly can for your items.

Mother’s Day is May 13th, 2012 – Stop in to find something just right for Mom, and if you aren’t sure what to do for her, why not give her a Crazy J’s Gift Card so she can shop at her leisure for what she likes best. Gift cards are available in amounts of 10.00 all the way to 500.00, and there are no fees, hidden costs, or expiration times associated with our gift cards.

Finally, remember to sign up for our Free Customer Rewards Program when you shop with us. Our Rewards Program members earn points on every purchase and earn an entry into our monthly gift-card-giveaway. Points may be used for future discounts and purchases, and every purchase as a member of the rewards program is another entry into that month’s drawing. We have had 3 lucky winners already in 2012. One from Hayes, one from Gloucester Point, and one from Mechanicsville.

Enjoy your Spring and we look forward to seeing you when you stop in for a visit.

Joel & Jon
aka “Crazy J’s”

Welcome to Crazy J’s Consignments!

All new, 5300 square feet of Antiques, Collectibles, Consigned items of all types, and Gifts. Something for everyone, from home decor, high-end clothing, small appliances, housewares, bed & bath, a large variety of art, crafts, and so much more.

Opening January 15, 2012

2352 George Washington Memorial Hwy (Highway 17)
Hayes, Virginia 23072

(804) 684-5601 (call for initial consignment account setup appointment)

Open Seven Days a Week from 10am to 8pm except special holidays  that will be posted from time to time.