*By Kate Gill*
Handbag heaven is real ー and affordable.
At the very least, consignment brand the RealReal has built a prototype for retail paradise in West Hollywood, Calif., for its new brick-and-mortar location.
Cheddar's own Alyssa Julya Smith took a tour of the sprawling store, lined wall-to-wall with luxury handbags, clothing, and accessories.
The RealReal, which began online, functions as a resale vendor for worn, high-end designer duds. According to the brand's chief authenticator, Graham Wetzbarger, the new location is "all about discovery."
"It has a tactile sensation ー people can come and touch, talk to our experts, and really explore," Wetzbarger said.
But make no mistake, presentational as the store may be, "it's not a museum," Wetzbarger said. "It's not an art gallery. I want you to come in and touch and play, feel the quality of the leather, the quality of the cashmere."
In a sense, Wetzbarger's team has fashioned a classroom that customers can actually afford to experience.
In addition to the RealReal's West Coast store, the brand has a second brick-and-mortar location in New York City's SoHo neighborhood.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-realreals-chief-authenticator-teaches-us-how-to-evaluate-designer-products).
Summer is upon us, which means weddings, trips overseas, and trips to see Taylor Swift. Avoid a “Cruel Summer” with these budget-friendly tips and tricks.
While Nvidia's meteoric rise led it to briefly dethrone Microsoft as the world's biggest public company, there's a lot more going on in this market than A.I.
The Russian company said in a statement that the Commerce Department's decision would not affect its ability to sell its cybersecurity products in the U.S.