Once Upon a Child, 4225 Wabash Ave., is locally owned and operated by Sommer and Micah Glauberman. The Glaubermans opened the franchise that sells gently used kids' clothing, shoes, toys and baby gear for about 70% less than retail in late 2016. Sommer was new to Springfield, and after shopping to outfit their own kids for a wedding and learning that Springfield was not home to a Once Upon a Child store, she and her husband knew that was an opportunity they would not let pass them by.
Parents to five children ranging in age from 11 months to 17 years old, the Glaubermans feel that owning the store works for their family, even though their "home might look like they are preparing for a never-ending garage sale," as described by Sommer Glauberman. She says it's a labor of love; their 15-year-old daughter has been tagging clothing all week because the store is in its busiest season of the year.
Glauberman said, "I love that we provide a great service to the community. Moms are able to style their kids for less money than they could otherwise, and I like that we are saving clothing from being put in a landfill." She said that as of mid-October, the Springfield store has purchased 350,000 pieces, and there's still a couple of months left in the year.
Twice yearly, Once Upon a Child has an end-of-season clearance sale when items are marked down to 90% off. Items remaining are donated to benefit children in need. Nothing is thrown away. It's a convenient and eco-friendly way to recycle children's items.
