Hinsdale Magazine | Giving Back
Philanthropic SHOPPING A new Downers Grove non-profit is turning couture into charity By Kerrie Kennedy | Photography by Daniel Garcia
Beverly Moran, owner of Kelsey Resale Boutiques, offers carefully-curated accessories and clothing collections that are available online and in stores, where all proceeds go to charity (after operating costs).
Imagine if buying a pair of Rag & Bone jeans, a Tory Burch dress, a pair of Chanel sunglasses or a Louis Vuitton handbag helped fund your local charitable organizations. That’s exactly what Beverly Moran had been thinking for the past several years—and last month, she made it happen. As the owner of Kelsey Resale Boutiques in Hinsdale and La Grange, which sell women’s designer clothing and accessories, Moran had been regularly donating items that don’t sell to a local charity at the end of the season. But she felt it wasn’t making enough of an impact. “It just didn’t seem like it was appreciated as much as I wanted it to be,” said Moran, who has been in the resale business since the age of 16. So she came up with a plan to launch her own non-profit: Kelsey’s Community Shop. Located in Downers Grove right around the corner from Moran’s home, Kelsey’s Community Shop sells unsold items from its sister (for-profit) resale stores at 50 percent off the lowest prices in those stores. “Our regular boutiques are already 70 to 80 percent off retail,” Moran said. “And all proceeds go charity.” Starting in September, Moran said proceeds (after operating costs) will go to Pillars Community Health, a health and social services agency in the western suburbs that assists battered women and children. Each month, Moran will choose
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a different charity to donate to. “For October, which is breast cancer awareness month, I’ll probably choose a local organization that helps women with breast cancer,” she said. “I really want to keep it local—Infant Welfare, animal shelters, places that help the community. I think it’s a great reflection of who we are as a local business.” In fact, all employees at Kelsey’s Community Shop are volunteers, with the exception of the store manager. While so far, the majority of the customers are the same ones that visit Moran’s resale boutiques, she’s hoping to reach out to local churches who might purchase clothing for the needy, while helping charitable organizations at the same time. “We carry the same high-end designers that we carry in our regular stores—Lilly Pulitzer, Free People, DVF, Coach, Alice & Oliva, Kate Spade, Ted Baker to name a few—, but unlike the resale stores, we carry all seasons,” Moran said. “So if you’re going to Florida in December, you can come here to find summer-wear.—And of course, you’re shopping to give money to a charity. It’s pretty awesome, because it’s basically a win-win for everyone.” n Kelsey’s Community Shop is located at 239 Ogden Ave. in Downers Grove. For more information, visit www. shopkelseyresale.com.