Gail Gentry’s consignment shop feels like visiting your favorite aunt’s house. You are greeted with love and abundant goodies — sweet tea and an apple pie are the only things missing.

Gentry opened Gail’s Consignment Shop in 1989 and has had a booming business ever since.

“From the time I opened the doors, it just took off,” said Gentry. “It was meant to be.”

Gentry focuses on women’s needs. She buys and sells women’s accessories and clothing, both new and used.

“I get customers from college to working-class women because we have everything from cute little UGGs to Talbots and Chicos,” said Gentry.

Scanning her shelves, I can tell that she keeps her sale items current and in excellent condition. She only buys used items purchased in the past two years. No stained and ripped clothes or Members Only jackets make it on the shelves.

“I want the cute items as much as the expensive ones,” said Gentry. “It doesn’t have to be top-end brands. I just want to make sure whoever walks in will find something.”

Kristen Good loves to sell her gently used clothes to Gentry over other consignment shops in town.

“She has the best pay out,” said Good. “She’s prompt with everything and she has the best selection in town too. She’s just an all-over good person. “

In my hour in the store, three women dropped off clothing to sell.

“She’s honest, good-hearted and straight-up,” said seller Terri Dippel. “If she doesn’t like your clothes, she’ll be honest with you.”

With her customer’s permission, she donates the clothes she cannot use to church groups that benefit homeless shelters and DREAMS Treatment Services, a drug and alcohol treatment center. Gentry is also involved with an organization called “Miracles that Work,” which is dedicated to the adoption of rescue dogs. Ask her anytime if she has a dog available for rescue.

Those who are looking to purchase clothing from Gentry’s store are in for a treat. Her goal is to help a woman to find the right item for the right price.

“I keep my prices down,” said Gentry. “I love to move volume so I keep my prices low. I also like it when women feel good when they walk out thinking, ‘Oh, I’m looking all good and I didn’t spend my whole paycheck.’

Jacquie Reininger, from Asheboro, drops by the shop when she is in town. Like me, she enjoys being able to get quality items for less than full price. Reininger shared another point that makes consignment stores important.

“I think it’s a good idea to recycle clothing,” said Reininger. “You don’t always have to buy clothes brand new to enjoy them, and you’ll never know what you’ll find until you look.”

Looking at her racks now, customers will see orange and yellow tags. This means change of season and, more importantly, this signifies markdowns on clothing. This phrase is magical when it comes to retail.

But to share a little secret: markdowns occur in the middle of every month. Gentry simply wants to make her customers happy by filling their closets with goodies and freeing up their money for other things.

“It’s just a good way to save money, look really good, and get the volume in your closet instead of one piece,” said Gentry. “It makes a difference for women to be responsible with their money and let their dollars work for them.”

With no sweet tea or apple pie in sight, I leave wondering what could have given me such a feeling I would compare to a sugar high. Must be a buyer’s high caused by leaving with a big bag of clothes, spending under fifty dollars, and knowing I met one of the sweetest ladies in town: Gail Gentry.