QUACK QUACK HONK: Duck Duck Goose's huge selection of baby items.

Attention pregnant folks:

Here’s my one piece of advice about all that stuff you need, or at least that you think you need, for your impending arrival: Buy none of it new except the car seat.
Instead, take advantage of the next two weekends to outfit your nursery, and your baby-to-be, with much less expensive, in most cases gen-tly-used, gear from Little Rock’s two giant kids’ consignment sales. Cribs, exersaucers, toys, high chairs, strollers, Boppys and Bumbos, bas-sinets, front carriers and more clothes than a thousand babies could wear in a thousand years — it’s all there, and the prices are generally very, very nice.

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First up is Rhea Lana’s, which started yesterday and continues through Saturday at the former M.M. Cohn space at McCain Mall. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today (Thursday, Sept. 10), then 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Many items are half-price Friday and Satur-day, so if you can fit in a quick trip before work Friday, it’s worth it. Most of the merchandise is for babies and young children, but there’s also a section for teen formalwear.

Then the next week brings Duck Duck Goose, which runs Sept. 18-20 at the State Fairgrounds Hall of Industry. Hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day (half-price on the last day). Consignors and volunteers get to shop a day earlier than the general public, though, so if you’re interested, check the Web site, www.duckduckgoosesale.com, for details. (Rhea Lana’s works the same way — it’s too late to get in on it in Little Rock this time around, but check www.rhealana.com for details on the upcoming Conway sale, Sept. 24-27.)

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Duck Duck Goose is an enormous sale — not that Rhea Lana’s is small by any means, but DDG is seriously monumental, and it’s not just for kids’ stuff: There will be racks of not only maternity clothes, but clothes for non-pregnant women as well. The selection should be pretty good — DDG is fairly strict on what women’s clothing it will accept (nothing with shoulder pads, no out-of-date leg styles, no pleated pants, only certain name brands).

Other news:

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• While we’re talking consignment: Elaine’s Closet, a women’s consignment boutique, has moved from its West Little Rock location to a space on Cantrell Road just west of Mississippi Avenue. The store has a pretty large selection, including plus sizes, a ton of hand-bags, and — thanks, apparently, to a lone wealthy compulsive shopper who’s either single or has a very tolerant spouse, two racks full of size 14 extremely high-end designer suits, jackets and dresses, tags still on. Lots of Giorgio Armani, with original prices up to around $3,000. The consignment prices still made my eyes bug out, but there’s no denying you’d be getting a serious deal. The store is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

• Hank’s Fiiiiine Furniture is opening what will be the company’s largest showroom this Saturday, Sept. 13. Called Hank’s & More Fine Furniture, the 80,000-square-foot store at 1000 S. Bowman Road will carry a larger selection, including what a press re-lease said will be the largest Thomasville gallery in the state. Other lines: Henredon, Kincaid, Lexington, Bernhardt and Hooker. It’ll have special sections for rugs and home office furniture as well, plus a cafe serving Starbucks coffee. Doors open at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 13.

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• Finally, sorry to anyone who showed up at Whole Foods Market on Sept. 3 expecting the grand re-opening festivities promised in my last column. A Gustav-related power outage forced a postponement to Sept. 10, which, unfortunately, was yesterday. There’ll be grand-opening specials throughout the next week, though, so stop by anyway.

News? Tips?
arktimesshopping@gmail.com

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