Isenberg Entrepreneurs’ Consignment Shop Open for Business

By Lorraine U. Martinelle ‘97

Three entrepreneurial students in UMass Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management brought their dreams of owning and operating a business to life through the launch of their thrift and consignment store X-Change in downtown Amherst.

“We started this business because we’re passionate about providing affordable, sustainable fashion options for the local community and college students,” said one of the students, senior finance major John “Jack” Mandy, of the store, which opened Oct. 5, 2024, at 48 North Pleasant St. “It’s a combination of our interests in entrepreneurship, sustainability, and community engagement.”

Mandy and his business partners Grant Cooney, a senior management major, and Manny Baczewski, a sophomore management and hospitality and tourism management double major, started brainstorming the idea for a retail store last fall after noticing a gap in the local market for accessible and sustainable fashion.

Opening a retail store has always been a goal for Cooney. He and Mandy grew up together on Cape Cod, where Cooney watched his father start a sustainable beach fashion company in 2013. The company supported a marine wildlife sanctuary in Buzzards Bay.

“This sparked a passion for business,” said Cooney. “Also, growing up, my grandmother taught us how to sew. This is something that always stuck with me and my sister, who went to school for fashion design and has always been making her clothes from scratch.

“Before I came to UMass, I was already in this industry—buying, selling, and serving,” he continued. “A business owner who belonged to a networking group on the Cape told me I should start a consignment shop. This resonated with me, and it became a goal of mine before I even saw UMass for the first time.”

Cooney and Mandy connected with Baczewski at Isenberg, which they credit for helping to instill the skills needed to plan, launch, and operate a business, and for all the challenges in between.

“I wouldn’t have chosen any other school, and the opportunities at Isenberg are far bigger than if I were to go to another business school,” said Cooney.

Mandy added that Isenberg finance, operations, and entrepreneurship classes have been particularly valuable.

“They provided the foundational skills we needed to manage the financials, develop a business plan, and navigate the challenges of starting a business,” he said. “The hands-on experience from class projects and case studies has directly applied to running X-Change.”

Isenberg’s Business Communication course was also beneficial, according to Mandy.

“Kerry O’Grady’s class taught me a lot, and I loved the real-world experience final project where we had to go to a local business and find a problem in the business communications department and work with them throughout the semester, finding data on how to better their business communications,” he said. 

The team also cited as mentors Clinical Associate Professor of Management Charles Johnson, Accounting Senior Lecturer Catherine West Lowry, and Marketing Senior Lecturer Matthew Glennon.

“If it weren’t for them, we would not have made it through many of the obstacles we faced,” said Cooney.

The X-Change team also worked closely with Gregory Thomas, executive director of Isenberg’s Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship; they participated in four pitch competitions, and Cooney won third place (and $500 to put toward X-Change) at the Oct. 17 Minute Pitch Competition.

“Grant, Manny, and I wouldn’t be where we are now without the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship,” said Mandy. “The Berthiaume Center truly teaches you everything you need to know about building a business, and they’re there every step of the way, providing so much essential information and support.”

He added that the feedback the team received from judges during pitch competitions was important to their business planning.  

“It’s helped us refine our approach, strengthen our business, and gain the confidence to move forward,” Mandy said. “We owe so much of our progress to the Berthiaume Center and the opportunities it offers.”

It’s rewarding to see student entrepreneurs succeed, according to Thomas, who is also a lecturer at Isenberg and has taught Cooney in two Isenberg courses.

“X-Change’s journey is a perfect example of how the Berthiaume Center helps students turn ideas into businesses,” he said. “It is fulfilling to get a student to take the classroom curriculum and pair it with campus resources and cocurricular programming to launch. “Seeing Grant grow from the classroom to being in their location in downtown Amherst is nothing short of amazing,” added Thomas.

Cooney is also a student in Johnson’s “New Venture Finance” class, which teaches students to analyze a growing enterprise with the eye of a savvy investor.

“Grant, Jack, and Manny have been active in the entrepreneurship community on campus, and I am always happy to support energetic and enthusiastic students who have good ideas,” said Johnson.

MORE THAN A STORE

X-Change is more than just a store; it’s a community space, according to Mandy.

“We focus on offering a highly curated selection of unique, stylish pieces at affordable prices, catering specifically to college students and young professionals,” he said. “Unlike larger chains, we offer a more personalized shopping experience, and our store fosters local small businesses by offering rentable space for vendors and artists. Plus, our mission to promote sustainability is core to everything we do.”

In a world where “fast fashion” has gone from simply affordable trendy clothing to having devastating consequences on the environment and workers’ rights, stores such as X-Change are hoping to make a positive impact by taking a dent out of all the “stuff that’s out there,” Baczewski pointed out.

“We have enough clothing on Earth right now to clothe the next eight generations of people,” he said. “Consumers don’t think about the impact of clothing production and how many shortcuts are being taken so that companies can keep clothes so cheap. Companies are filling orders at an alarming rate and are cutting corners while not taking care of their labor force. Tossed clothing also pollutes our environment due to its reliance on microplastics in fabrics, pesticides, and insecticide. All of this goes into our wastewater.”

COMMUNITY KUDOS

More than a month into operation, X-Change has received support from the Amherst community, especially from fellow students and local shoppers who appreciate the focus on sustainability and affordable fashion.

“Our unique approach of mixing vintage and consignment has been a hit, and we’ve built a loyal customer base already,” said Mandy.

Baczewski added: “I’ve seen every single generation alive in this store.”

They source merchandise from a combination of word-of-mouth, estate sales, house cleanouts, donations, and partnerships with local suppliers and junk removal companies.

“People will just throw these things away, not because they necessarily want to, but because they have no idea what to do with it,” said Baczewski. “That’s where we come in.”

“We will take in clothing that would otherwise be destined for a landfill,” added Cooney.

In a recent interview, Baczewski pointed out a delicate vintage Christian Dior bathrobe hanging on a rack in a corner of the store near the check-out counter.

“You might think that all this donated clothing must be ‘junk,’ yet we have pulled Chanel, Ferragamo, Brooks Brothers, and even Christian Dior from house cleanouts,” he said. “We also love to ‘pick,’ so we go out and hunt for the best things to go in our shop.”

The store doesn’t just accept and sell clothing; they also welcome furniture and small appliances like microwaves and mini fridges (that still work well). This is particularly convenient for graduating students who no longer require these items—and affordable to incoming students looking to outfit their dorm rooms or apartments.

“We’re picking up the stuff for free from the people who no longer need it, and they appreciate us, because we’re saving them the hassle of figuring out what to do with it all, and then we bring it back to the community for much cheaper,” said Baczewski.

WHAT’S NEXT

With Cooney and Mandy expecting to graduate in spring 2025 and Baczewski only in his second year at UMass, the natural question is: What will happen to X-Change after the seniors leave Amherst?

“We’re working on plans to ensure the business continues to operate smoothly after graduation,” said Mandy. “Whether we stay involved remotely or bring in new partners, we are committed to the long-term success of X-Change.”

The store has six employees, and each of the owners takes on different roles to keep the business running.

“One of us manages the administrative tasks, inventory sourcing, financial oversight, and general operations, while the others focus on marketing, human resources, vendor relations, and day-to-day customer interactions,” said Cooney.

The biggest challenges they have thus far faced have had to do with balancing academics and personal life with business operation demands.

“We’ve learned how important it is to be adaptable, to communicate effectively with each other, and to build strong relationships within the community,” said Mandy. “The process has taught us valuable lessons in leadership, time management, and problem-solving.”

X-Change, located at 48 North Pleasant St., Amherst, Mass., is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 8 p.m. Find them online at massxchange.myshopify.com and on Instagram at @xchange.amherst.

Lorraine U. Martinelle ’97 is content manager in the UMass Amherst Isenberg School of Management’s Marketing and Communications office. Submit story ideas to lmartinelle@isenberg.umass.edu.

Photos by Jamison Wrinn, senior, BDIC/photojournalism