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This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.

KPCC Archive

Parent company of Plato's Closet plans to open more second hand stores in Southern California

A customer buys some items at Play It Again Sports, a store that resells used sporting goods.
A customer visits Play It Again Sports, a store that buys used sporting goods and resells it.
(
Play It Again Sports
)

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Parent company of Plato's Closet plans to open more second hand stores in Southern California

Minnesota-based Winmark Corp. said it is planning to bring more second hand stores to Southern California.

Winmark is the parent company of stores Plato’s Closet, Music Go Round, Play It Again Sports and Once Upon a Child, which buy and sell used items. Already, there are more than 40 franchised stores under those brands exist in California. Relatively cheap real estate is encouraging Winmark to expand even more in the next three to five years. It's looking for franchisees in the San Gabriel Valley.

“The real estate market is changing and for us, that works out great,” said Pete First, Winmark’s director of franchise development. “We’re able to get our franchise locations opened up in markets where historically the real estate market was too high and the rent was too expensive.”

Winmark has about 970 franchised locations under its four store brands in North America. 

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