Once Upon A Child

I LOVE this store! We usually shop here during their sales (which are AWESOME) And we have a great experience every time. This weekend they had their grab bag sale and we got $ 800 worth of clothes for just $ 30! (We purchased two bags) Not to mention they have great customer service. If you have a question just reach out on Facebook, and you’ll be met with timely answers and the sweetest admin. Couldn’t recommend this store more!

This is sort of far away and difficult to get to.
They have four people working, and it still takes 1.5 hours to go through your two boxes of stuff? Even on a weekday at 2:00 in the afternoon? That seems sort of strange to me.
They have next to no sleepers. But that seems to be true everywhere: Pumpkin Patch, Sparkle Kids, etc.
They do have tons of winter coats and sweaters, including Jack and Jill and Hannah Anderson brands, for good prices, like $ 5 – $ 20.
They seem to have a large selection of toys but when you really look at them, a lot of the bags are filled with replacement parts for other toys.

I will NEVER sell to OUAC southwest store ever again. I dropped my things off and was told it would take about 30 minutes. I left and came back about 30 mins later. Associate 1, not going to use names, was finishing up with my buy. She placed 2 boy shorts in front of me and said I can offer you 2.70 for your items and this is what we don’t want and rushed off. I was a little confused because I took in a bin of girls bigger size clothing in for buyback. So I asked another sales associate for help. I said I brought in a bin of girls items and explained what Associate 1 had done. I saw my bin on the back shelves and pointed to my bin and said that’s mine. The associate then had to find the stuff they kept because the items in my bin were the rejects. By this time Associate 1 came back. She found the clothes they decided to keep, punched in some numbers in the register and said ok we can offer you $ 10.xx. I said what? I gave you a whole bin with at least ¼ of it NWT. She was acting so weird. She was frazzled and had no clue what the heck she was doing. She kept sniffing and wiping her nose, and her eyes were so blood shot. She punched in numbers again and said she would have to redo my buy. I was frustrated. I asked 2 other girls if they would complete my buy. They just looked at me. I said please finish my buy for me. One girl walked to Associate 1 and Associate 1 said no I’ve got it. I’m almost done. I let it be. Associate 1 finished the buy and made the offer. I asked her if I could see the final number, offer, on the receipt. She told me she couldn’t do that. I explained that every other time I’ve gone in that I’ve always seen the «buy» amount. She said no. I asked for a manager because I was very unhappy with my service. She said there was no manager. Then I asked for the owners phone number. She said she didn’t have it and that the owners never come around. I left and immediately called the north store. I spoke with the manger and gave my complaint. She said she would forward my information to the owner and the owner would call me. Well that never happened. I will NEVER sale back to this place. Horrible service and never a call back from owner or management. Stay away from this place!!!

I use this store quite often and the price is ok especially when they are having a big sale. The reason that I didn’t give 4 or 5 stars is the staff. I am a mom of 2 kids under 4 and I bring in a lot of boxes when I am selling. When I go to drop off my items no one welcomes me to the store, asks if I need help bringing in my items, or even holds the door for me even though it is pretty obvious that I could use the help. The same thing happens when I go to pick up the items that the store did not buy. No help at all!
I will keep using this store but I really wish that the owner would have a talk with the staff and ask them to help out the customers a little more. It will only take them a second then they can get right back to checking and folding clothes.

The same owner owns this location and the Once Upon a Child on north 183. I can’t understand how she can hire degenerates with rude attitudes at the north location, but hire pleasant and friendly people at this location. With that being said, it was refreshing to have someone welcome you as you walked in the store, answer questions without an attitude, and just be well, nice. Especially the young woman with curly brown long hair. She was especially sweet and helpful– was friendly to even the most needy customers. Just from my experience here, I would rather drive all the way down south to shop here over going to the north location that is 10 minutes away from my house.
The store is well organized and if you come on the right day, you can find some real gems. Be prepared to be patient though. There is a lot of stuff and you have to dig if you want to find anything. My only complaint is I wish the top clothing rack could be lowered if at all possible. My arms start to lose blood and start to hurt after several minutes of digging. Minor complaint, not really an issue. I wish too that they would sell their shoes differently. You have to literally dump out a huge blue tub on the floor to see what’s inside.
Overall, I think this place is worth the trip and please sell here so I can have more goodies to look through.

I’ve never left a Unilocal review before but i felt it necessary this time. I went to this shop to look for toys and books for my 6 month old baby. I was very happy with the selection and the quality of the items. The prices seem fair for the most part. There was a younger girl there who asked if i needed help while i looked around and she rung up my purchase. She was very nice and helpful. However, the woman who i guess is the manager was so rude! When i asked her a question she just mumbled and never even looked up. Never said «Bye» or «Thank you». She was also counting down the registers an hour before closing. This gives a bad impression to customers who feel like you are ready to leave and they are not wanted there. I’ve worked in retail all of my life and managed stores for the last 7 years. Do yourselves a favor and treat your customers like you appreciate them and make it seem like you want to be there. It makes a huge difference!

We found what we were looking for. The clothes seemed well organized and in decent shape. The staff seemed uninterested in being there. The store itself was dirty. With three employees there and 1 – 3 customers, someone could be washing the floor properly without dried, dirty streaks and cleaning the bathroom. The changing room is a joke. A curtain pulled across the back entance. No place to hang clothes or sit to try to and pull bottoms on. Small improvements could make a huge and positive impact.

As a customer purchasing items, this place is okay. They have a TON of clothes, if you have the time to sort through everything I’m sure you could find some good pieces. It’s a bit overwhelming and most of the items I’ve looked at are in good condition, but very outdated. The clothing prices aren’t the best– I could get something brand new from Target for about the same price. Like I said, if you’ve got time, you could probably find good deals in there.
I used to get shoes for my kids when they were tiny. Baby shoes don’t see much wear and the prices were far more reasonable than brand new. I picked up a couple of small toys here and there (Elmo phone, stacking cups) and the prices were acceptable.
As a seller, meh, not so much. I brought in a big bag of toys and puzzles that were in good condition. I didn’t expect to make much and was going to let my 3 kids split the proceeds as a thank you for giving up some of their old toys. I was thinking a couple of bucks each. I was told it would be an hour, that I could wait or come back or they could just call me when it was ready. I said they could call. I went to run some errands for an hour, never heard back, and decided to just head home until I heard from them. I never did.
I drove back out (30 minute drive for me) before they closed. I went to the counter where I had dropped everything off and employee A said she couldn’t help me and directed me to the cashier. As I was waiting, another woman walked up and employee A helped her find her ticket and told her how much they would buy her things for. When I got to the register, I was told that my toys had too much wear or were missing pieces (I looked back at one I spy game and the instruction card was missing, that was my fault) and they offered me $ 1.83 for my blocks. I get that they’re picky, but I wish they had at least finished on time so I didn’t have to make an additional round trip for less than $ 2.
Moral of the story, I ended up selling some of the toys (4 puzzles, 2 Little People cars) on a local Facebook garage sale group the next day for $ 10 and I didn’t have to drive anywhere. If you want to get a good deal and have time to sort through everything, I’d suggest this place. If you want to make a few bucks on things you’re getting rid of, go somewhere else.

They have great prices on clothing, and the store seems to be clean and organized everytime I go, which I love. I’m only giving 3 stars because everytime I go there’s atleast 2 employees that give me ugly looks because I bring my daughter in her stroller. I understand her stroller may get in the way but that doesn’t concern you! If I get one more ugly look from these girls they’re manager is going to get an ear full from this momma! The manager needs to fix these girls attitudes or hire better people to work for her!

They buy lot’s of stuff by season. I enjoy this store, and appreciate they have carts, now. The employees have been nice, also. Looking forward to selling my winter stuff.

I love coming here! The staff is always friendly and every item that we buy is in great condition. The store doesn’t buy clothes from people that have stains or defects. We have brought clothes many times and sure the price offered for the items is low it’s easier than trying to sell at a garage sale. We come here about once a month.

This location really needs new staffing, I have been three times in the past two months and each time they seem exasperated when you ask a question or want to check out. Also when people bring their kids in (which is what you are… A children’s store) I don’t like hearing complaining on how you wish parents would not bring their kids! If you are that unhappy find a new job!

As a seller: I brought my things at the appropriate time then came back when they said to and they weren’t finished with my stuff. No biggy, except I share a car with my husband and the only reason I’m trying consignment is because we need the money. It’s a 25 minute drive. So when I drive back 4 hours later and they said come back in 5 hours I was pissed. They then said they would call when it was ready (why didn’t you do that from the get go?) and when I came back the traffic was a nightmare. With my 1 and 3 year old in the car we got stuck in that ‘Y’ traffic for an hour just to get there and when I went in I only got 6 bucks. I had 2 or 3 totes of good toys, clothes, etc. Believe me, I didn’t want to waste my time or effort so I brought the goods. As I’m trying to get these totes back in my car my 3 year old son sits on a car bike thing that’s just sitting there by the door and I’m glad bc then I can run out to my car and throw a tote in (yeah yeah, I don’t know how you super moms do it, but I don’t have it all figured out yet). That’s when I get scolded by the workers for him sitting on it. With my hands full, I have to convince my three year old to get up, stop my 1 year old from touching the books and get this stuff back to my car. Not their problem, I know, but it sucked. And it wasn’t worth it and I got in the car and my son wet his pants because it had been too long bw potty breaks bc of traffic. The traffic to leave was so bad that I took the kids to HEB and spent that 6 bucks on a snack while we waited for the traffic to clear up. It didn’t so we got stuck in it anyway. It was just a stressful experience that was a huge waste of time. And the fact that I get screwed if I leave my stuff there overnight is bs. It was so inconvenient for me to come back a second time, but policy is policy. If you don’t get your stuff before closing they own it.
I would buy from them, but it’s not worth selling to them. 2 stars for having a big selection, but otherwise, meh.

Reasonable prices for used items. Found several clothing items and they have a larger selection than other resale shops I have been to. Haven’t tried to sell anything back yet, so cannot speak to their process there.

I found lots of cute items for my 4 month old. HOWEVER, the employees were rude and really unhelpful, it was really discouraging. I think I read that another commenter said that the pricing is really inconsistent — I totally found that to be true. Sometimes, stuff from Walmart was more expensive than stuff from Baby Gap. Although, I did think the items they accepted were in good quality. Only been once so far. I’ll probably go back, just because I like a good hunt and saving money… but I’ll think twice based on their staff.

I was glad to find a Once Upon a Child here in Austin as I loved ours in Charleston, SC. My girls grow fast and this was perfect to find some gently used jackets and pajamas.
This is a resale store so the inventory will vary, that’s the nature of the beast. You have to know this going in to it. Same thing if you shopped Goodwill, sometimes you get a great find, sometimes you find nothing.
I did think the pricing was a little inconsistent. I saw a Cherokee tee shirt for $ 4.50 and an Old Navy Fleece Jacket for $ 2.50 in better shape than the tee shirt. Know your prices, check the items, it’s common sense. I’m not sure how they decide on pricing, it’s as if there is no guidelines, like they guess what someone will pay for an item.
The staff was great, very helpful, very nice and conversational. I was impressed by their attention.
If you are looking to fill in your child’s wardrobe with a few things here and there and find a good deal in the process, I would recommend them. You have to realize that you will have to hunt and sort through and maybe come back another time to check inventory.
Overall a very good experience and I will continue to shop there.

Shopping here is very hit or miss. There are certain times I go, like today, and want to buy everything I see, but on my last trip in, my Mom and I dug through the entire store and only found 1 onesie that we thought was decent enough for my daughter. I really like saving money on clothes as these kiddos grow out of them so fast. This store is cleaner and more organized than the other consignment stores in Austin. They have some toys and gear, but not a great selection. They seem to have the biggest selection of clothes for newborns, which makes sense because having a baby, I got more clothes than I needed for the first 3 months. The older kids get, the more worn some of the clothes are. There is little selection on special occasion dresses, so I usually come here for the basic play clothes, like t-​shirts, shorts and jeans.

This store has saved me a ton of money with my daughter!
The clothes are priced at $ 2.50 to $ 6.50 average per outfit (at least in girls clothes sized up to 24 months). Sure, you can get clothes at this price at Target, but then every child in town is wearing the same outfit and they’re … Target clothes. At Once Upon a Child I can get all different styles and brands AND save money (which is important when they outgrow their entire wardrobe in one month). My daughter is very well dressed thanks largely to Once Upon a Child :-)
I’ve also bought many other items here … toys, crib accessories, carriers, play mats, etc … I’ve had an excellent experience with everything.

This place is ok. I’ve bought some really cute things for my daughter here before but some of the stuff I could get brand new at Target for an extra dollar so… where’s the bargain in that?
Also, I’ve tried to sell brand name things here that are in excellent condition and they won’t buy them for whatever reason. But then if you look through their racks, they have some stuff that shouldnt be there at all. I just don’t understand their buying policy I suppose.
Nice employees though ;)

So I have an update on this store.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday I took my 6 and ½-​month old to my mother’s house for an overnight stay. Unfortunately, my boyfriend (although he swears it was my fault) forgot to load the Pack-​N-​Play into the trunk of the car. My parents live out in Johnson City so we didn’t have many options to just run out to the store and buy something for the baby to sleep in. (And I have just never felt comfortable having her sleeping in bed with me… all those horror stories about smothering I guess).
My two younger sisters were driving in from Austin and my mom asked them to pick something up on their way out of town. She suggested going by Wal-​Mart and picking up a play pen for her to keep at her house.
But looking to save a buck my sisters stopped in to Once Upon A Child to see about buying a used play pen. The store didn’t have anything but the clerk helped my sisters pick something out that would be «PERFECT for my 6 ½ month old to sleep in.»
So my sisters show up with a BASSINET. Yes, a BASSINET for my rolling, crawling, flipping 6 month old. I was appalled. My sisters don’t have children so they were very clear to the clerk that they needed something safe and big enough for the baby. They even gave her my daughter’s age and weight.
And they come home with a Bassinet. The clerk assured her that it would be perefect for our situation. You can not put a 6-​month old in something so small and unsturdy. A newborn won’t be able to roll out of the 8 inch sides but my 6-​month old can just about sit up and would have thrown herself right out of it while tossing and rolling at night. I was trying to explain that to my sisters while they were trying to give the clerk the benefit of the doubt.
Until we looking inside at the warning sticker. In ALL CAPS the very first warning out of the 10 listed… DO NOT USE for children over 3 months of age or children that can roll around as bassinets will tip over.
So either the clerk was clueless about selling age-​appropriate products or she knew and just thought she could make a sale to two equally clueless customers. Either way is equally disturbing. That night we put a mattress on the floor for my daughter to sleep on. I slept on the floor next to her so she didn’t roll/​slide herself somewhere in the room she wasn’t supposed to. It was a long night for both of us.
The only plus side is that they did give us a refund on the bassinet but did not apoplogize for the mistake.
What a disgrace.