Johanna Zlenko is the founder of The Closet Trading Co., an upscale consignment boutique. Johanna founded this brand while she was a freshman at the University of California Santa Barbara, grew the brand to 4 successful locations, and is now looking to expand nationally.
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People turn to consignment stores to find a great bargain, but not necessarily designer clothing. At the Closet Trading Company, you could find both.
The luxury consignment store based out of Santa Barbara, California is opening a handful of franchise locations in Dallas-Fort Worth next year. The locations in Fort Worth will include stores at Trinity Commons, University Park Village and the Shops at Clearfork. Closet Trading Company is also looking at opening a store in Southlake, in the Central Market plaza.
Closet Trading Company deals in luxury items. This includes clothes and accessories with designer labels like Louis Vuitton, Chanel and others. The company says its mission is to make luxury fashion accessible to everyone. While a classic Hermes silk scarf can run for up to $1,000, you could find that same scarf at a Closet Trading Co. store for 70% off the retail price.
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“Identify the reason for the attitude. Perhaps it’s in response to his or her manager’s bad attitude. In many cases, an employee may not feel comfortable or know how to deal with this kind of a situation, and that unhappiness may manifest itself in a negative demeanor. It is so important to always take the opportunity to learn of gaps in our business operations. These conversations give us a glimpse into areas for improvement that we would otherwise miss.” — Johanna Zlenko, CEO, The Closet Trading Co.
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Our very own Johanna Zlenko gets the spotlight as she sheds light on how The Closet Trading Company came about and her plans for scaling her business nationally. She talks consignment, trends, environment and of course Santa Barbara!
The article was originally written in Santa Barbara Life & Style Magazine by Kim Hashemi, Photographed by Kennedy Williams.
The Closet Trading Co. has experienced so much success at its four locations in Santa Monica, Agoura Hills, Santa Barbara and Woodland Hills that it’s now looking to begin development on as many as 20 stores by the end of the year through its newly launched franchise program.
“Within California, we are targeting Greater LA, San Diego, Orange County, the Central Coast and the Bay Area,” says Johanna Zlenko, the company’s CEO. “California has long been on the cutting edge of American fashion as the country looks to Hollywood starlets and LA-based social media influencers for the latest trends.”
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June 12, 2019 // Franchising.com // SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – As the line between new and used apparel blurs for consumers, a powerful transformation in the retail space is unfolding and one retailer – The Closet Trading Co. – is leading the charge and looking to dominate the secondhand market with its newly launched franchise program.
Touted as Southern California’s premiere resale and consignment destination, The Closet Trading Co. currently has four boutiques open and operating throughout Los Angeles and Santa Barbara Counties, and is targeting various parts of the West Coast and Southwest for expansion. Company plans call for having as many as 20 boutiques in development by the end of the year.
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This 501(c)3 corporation supports business at all levels. Every year women and students are recognized and awarded for their dedication to their passions. Johanna Zlenko was honored to receive this award in 2018.
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(This article was originally published in the Vida Newswpaper 02/22/18 is Section B1)
On Monday, February 5th, the Women’s Economic Ventures honored Johanna Zlenko and inducted her into the the Million Dollar Club.
Posted on: Thursday, February 22, 2018 in Press category.
(This article was originally published on bondstreet.com. The original and FULL interview can be read here.)
Here is an excerpt of this powerful interview
BOND STREET
What were you doing before you started Closet Trading Co.?
JOHANNA MELAMED
I started when I was 18 years old, so not a whole lot. That was 12 years ago, and at that time I worked in some vintage shops and in the American Cancer Society vintage store. I learned a little bit about clothes and the retail industry and that’s what brought me to this.
BOND STREET
Who is your average customer?
JOHANNA MELAMED
We like to focus more on our customers’ lifestyle rather than age. Our customer can recognize a good deal, and when she’s looking for an item, she’s looking for the best value. She knows trends and fashion and wants something cool, but maybe a little different.
BOND STREET
Does the buying change based on the location?
JOHANNA MELAMED
Yeah, there is definitely a little bit of variation based on the location. The stores are one hour apart from each other, but they’re in different communities. We try to have consistency, but because we’re buying from people who are physically walking into each store, it reflects that community.”
Posted on: Monday, February 29, 2016 in Press category.
(This article was orginally published on dailynexus.com – University of California, Santa Barabara by Leah Lee Reporter. You can read the entire article here.)
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Shoppers have been coming in and out of The Closet for three years now – ever since UCSB student Johanna Melamed opened the clothing resale boutique in downtown Santa Barbara.
Melamed, a fourth-year global studies major, said her shop offers an extensive selection of second-hand couture collections, name-brand clothing and vintage accessories. She hopes The Closet – located at 1213 State St., Suite L – fills a void for fans of vintage fashion seeking sophisticated style in Santa Barbara.
After graduating from UCSB, Melamed said she plans to make the business a chain by opening several more Closet boutiques. Melamed said she hopes her business will eventually be successful enough to allow her to devote time to philanthropic work. But for now, Melamed said her priorities are focusing on school and managing the store effectively, which she said is an ongoing team effort.
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Posted on: Monday, November 6, 2006 in Press category.
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