A vendor’s corner at Northwest Consignments.
Two years ago, at 9:22AM, 05/25/2020, you were given the opportunity to begin an entirely new selling method, and a shopping experience that was pure delight. May 25th is when Northwest Consignments opened their doors in Seneca, after relocating from Franklin where they had been since 2017.
Bringing a new shopping idea to our area, Northwest Consignments is located in the old Cranberry High School at the corner of Main Street & Meadow Road, Seneca PA. It’s easy to find; just one block east of PA Route 257 on Meadow Road and directly across from the Seneca Post Office – look for their signs and banners.
Northwest Consignments has offered our community low cost consignment selling for those with a little bit to sell, as well as having booth rentals available from time to time for those who have a lot more to sell or those who have a small retail business starting up, they give fair deals for all.
Not certain what “consignment selling” is? It’s a safe and effective way to sell the those things you no longer want without compromising your home security or personal safety as you do by having a ‘Yard Sale’ or ‘Garage Sale’. Northwest Consignments also has a network of suppliers that they have access to if you are looking to buy something special, rare, or unique, and this network also can be a huge help in selling your rare items at the best price possible for our area.
Still eager to support charities in our area, they sell candy bars for the Venango County Humane Society, still proudly sponsoring the Cranberry Lions Club, donate and sell items for the “Open Door Cafe” (a donation only community cafe in Oil City), and they are always willing to explore helping additional community services and locally based charities.
The Northwest Consignments primary objective is to provide the best items at the best prices, give fair deals to the community, and their continuing success comes from telling you the truth, and being honest and fair with people.
Art Hood, who is the sole proprietor at Northwest Consignments and a Cranberry native that some of you may know from his employment through the years at various eating establishments, including ‘The Plaza Restaurant’ in Emlenton, and various retailers in the area, explains that his Vendors are under the same conviction that he is, and that’s why he can confidently say that they have some of the best Vendors anywhere!
There are several volunteers who keep the store going throughout the year by assisting Art, but they prefer anonymity. To honor their request, he will not name them but wants it to be known they truly are a God-sent blessing.
Art recalls that the challenges of their 2020 opening in Seneca began the second week of January, long before COVID became so famous. That is when they received notice that they had to vacate the building they were renting in Franklin, and, to top it off, they had to be out by the end of February since the ownership of the building had changed and the purchaser wanted the space for themselves.
He said, “After the initial shock wore off, I began frantically searching for a different location, discovering quickly how expensive commercial space in the area had become. In the last few days before I was going to ‘throw in the towel’, acting on a suggestion a friend made to me, I found this great location in Seneca - in the original cafeteria of the old Cranberry Jr/Sr High School building.”
When asked about the impact COVID has had to his business, Art explained, “we made it through with great help and guidance from God, and we have followed the CDC guidelines, as well as the State mandates, to the best of our ability. We do this because we want all of our fabulous customers and vendors to be safe and as healthy as possible”. He added, “we just continue to adapt with the ever-changing restrictions and requirements.”
After receiving such a warm welcome into Seneca, they had their official “GRAND OPENING” from May 3 through May 8 of 2021, and with donated gifts from other local, small businesses, a large quantity of great prizes were given out to their guests who entered the drawing. Still in the planning stage is a summer celebration, and they’re also exploring a way to host a free “Mostly For Baby Boomers Dance/Concert” later this year. With Art being a former mobile D.J., he plans on playing mostly the greatest hits from the late 70’s through the late 80’s, with a mix of other hits as well.
Art says there are still changes and improvements being implemented to offer more variety and selling space as they continue building a stronger bond with the community. He suggests to regularly check-out their website, https://nwconsignments.com for news and developments, and urges everyone to always look in The Progress News, as he plans to continue offering discount coupons here.
Art also added that, “Being a native of the area and having attended junior and senior school in the Cranberry High School building, it has always been a hope of mine that I could have a business that would be an integral part of the community. With my consignment store being here in Seneca, I can see that by continuing to treat people with respect, giving them honesty, and practicing the ethics that I was taught by my family, my little store is become a mecca for all of the wonderful people here and in neighboring counties.”
He extends a warm, heart-felt invitation to you to stop in and see him, and to explore a fun way of shopping – add remember – they can sell your items too.
The store hours of operation are: Tuesday thru Saturday, 11 A.M. to 5 P.M. with the store not opening on Sundays and Mondays. The phone number for the store is (814) 493-8354 and to email Art directly, send your email to art@nwconsignments.com