SACKVILLE, N.B. — EDITOR’S NOTE: The following, which was submitted by, Gwen Zwicker, is part of an ongoing series featuring Sackville Businesses.
If you’re looking for most anything around or in the house, for children’s toys, camping gear or countless other items, Payless Liquidation may just be the place to look.
“We have a wide variety of items coming in all the time,” says manager Moyra Boone. “If you are looking for something, just ask – we may have it or we may be able to get it for you.”
When a previous liquidation centre in town closed, Rodney and Bruce Dobson thought it would be a good business to get into. They then asked Moyra if she would run it and she jumped at the chance. Having worked at the other liquidation centre, she had experience and lots of enthusiasm. Moyra began working at Payless in August, but because of the election office using the storefront space, the store did not officially open until November.
After having lived in Fredericton for 37 years, Moyra moved to Sackville seven years ago. She says she loves living here and has met many wonderful people. She is very happy to be working with the Dobson family and says they have become her family.
Moyra came up with the name “Payless” for the business because she says that is exactly what she wants people to do – pay less for the items they want and need. She says, “Everything is so expensive these days that it makes it hard for people to make ends meet. If I can help people pay less for items they want for themselves and their children, I’m happy. It’s all about the customers – they are the people I work for and they have been wonderful.”
Moyra has seen customers coming from all over. This, in turn, brings more people to Sackville to see what else is on offer.
So how does she determine what products arrive and where do they come from? Moyra constantly keeps note of items, which are getting low and items that customers have asked for. Bids are made on truckloads of product, which comes from New York. She says that because everything has to be so precise to be transported across the border, she has the truck manifests which tell her what is being shipped to her. Sometimes there are some bonus items which make for a nice surprise.
A new truckload will arrive every one to two weeks and then comes the job of unloading and unpacking. Moyra makes as much room for the new items as possible but admits she cannot unpack everything at once. In order to get as many items on display as possible, she often spends her weekends sorting through what has been unloaded. Seasonal items for Halloween or Christmas, for example, will be stored until it is time to display them. Larger items, like furniture, are kept in a warehouse. She says she hopes to be able to offer one day/month to invite customers to the warehouse to see what is there. It will not be possible to assemble all the furniture; it will be in clearly identified boxes.
As far as pricing, since the goods shipped are in US dollars, Moyra adds 33 per cent, then determines the selling price. She says the prices at Payless are easily 50 per cent less than you would pay for them somewhere else.
“Some of the items come in marked ‘wrong colour’ or ‘didn’t fit décor’ but we know they are all new items. When things like appliances are marked ‘don’t work’ I take them out and see if that is the case. If it is, I will not put them on the shelves to be sold.”
And what about returns?
“Bring it back, says Moyra, and we will not ask any questions.”
She says there are some customers who like to bargain and she’s open to that too.
As far as challenges, Moyra says her biggest challenge is to be very focused when the trucks arrive and make sure the new products get displayed quickly. She says people have been asking for clothing and she would like to be able to expand to have a clothing room. She says she cannot wait for summer to arrive.
“When we opened, it was November so we missed the summer season and Halloween, and were basically too late to order a lot of products for Christmas. This year I think we will be really busy around those times,” she says.
She will put some seating outside for people to stop and rest – or for those husbands who are waiting for their wives to have a browse inside the store. Treats may be offered for customers and their furry friends.
“Halloween will be fun, Moyra says. We have costumes coming from a specialty shop in New York.”
Payless Liquidation also houses a music store. Guitars etc. come from Coastal Music, a store in Montreal. “The musical instruments and the motorcycle helmets are the only things in the store which are not offered at liquidation prices,” says Moyra.
Payless Liquidation is located at 69 Main St. in Sackville. Hours are: Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Thursday & Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Saturday 9a.m. – 5 p.m. The store is only open on Sundays in December.
To contact Moyra, phone the store at 506-536-0049, email at [email protected], or check out Payless Liquidation on Facebook.
RELATED:
Mainstreet Redevelopment Sackville Inc. business of the month: The Black Duck Café
Renaissance Sackville helps community projects, business ideas get off the ground
Mainstreet Redevelopment Sackville Inc. business of the month: Rob Lyon Graphics
