*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).
Parsing through the latest news might make it feel impossible to tell how the U.S. economy is doing. This analyst's take? We're in the best case scenario.
The major indices reached all-time highs this week – but when it comes to that Dow Jones record, veteran CIO Kevin Mahn says, ‘I don’t even look at the Dow.’
The WNBA is gearing up for what is sure to be an incredible season — with sold out crowds and high ratings. It's Caitlin's world, we're just living in it.
Tipping expectations have increased. A 2023 survey revealed that approximately 72% feel they are now asked to tip service workers more often than before.
