While other businesses struggle with the tough economy, The Clothes Chick just opened a second resale retail shop on the edge of Waikiki.

Susan Reaver, 56, opened her first store in Winnipeg, Canada, in 1985. Several others followed in Canada before she and her husband honeymooned in Hawai'i and fell in love with the Islands.

She opened her first store here in 2006 on King Street, near the old McCully Chop Suey. And she plans a grand opening July 11 with music and food at the new store on Kapahulu Avenue.

"It's upscale resale but not too upscale," she explained. "We try and keep our prices affordable."

Reaver buys the clothes from customers who make appointments to bring in new or gently used items. Reaver's sale prices average $15 for women's tops, skirts, pants and average $22 for dresses. Some special occasion clothes cost more as does some of her new jewelry, hats and many designer bags.

She has been trying for a rental location on Kapahulu for months and was happy when one came through and she opened the second location on June 2.

Reaver remains optimistic that both stores will thrive with more tourists finding the Kapahulu store and residents opting for the McCully store. But for the first four weeks, the new store drew higher sales than the old shop.

Customer Sara Neves said she shops at Reaver's stores "because I'm a poor teacher" with a liking for designer purses.

Neves, who teaches at Kunia Headstart, said she's able to buy designer bags for "very reasonable prices" at the stores. She also cleans out her own closet at least twice a year and sells things to Reaver, then she uses the store credit to shop some more.

This week, she used some of her credit to buy a new bangle bracelet. She thinks her best "find" at Clothes Chick was buying a blue-and-white Christian Dior bag for $50 to $70 when it would have cost $500 or more if she'd bought it elsewhere.

Reaver said she buys the clothes outright rather than holding them on consignment as some other upscale boutiques do. She said she's tried both ways and prefers the cleaner approach of a sale than the shared ownership where she and the seller share the proceeds when an item sells.

While she does sell designer bags that include Coach, Dolce & Gabbana and the occasional Chanel, Reaver said her daily fare runs more to Ann Taylor, Caché and BCBG, although she does get Cinnamon Girl, Kahala and local designers.

And for customers, the prices get even better when Reaver offers her 50 percent off sales — one is in progress this week and ends Sunday.

She's felt the pinch of the tight economy over the past few months but she said people unwilling to spend full price elsewhere sometimes opt to shop with her.

"It's risky; you do worry on a day when there's only two people in the store," she said.

While in Canada her customers skewed ages 40 to 65, she said her Hawai'i shops draw all ages, from teens to grandmothers.

The new store does offer some men's aloha shirts with an average price of about $18, and she expects to expand that if demand continues.

While she would not offer specific sale figures, she said the sales are solid and she has one full-time employee and two part-timers.

Reaver decorates her shops with bright paint, colorful displays and recycled furniture that evokes a kind of grown-up girl dress-up closet decor. "I'm a real believer in sidewalk shopping," she said, proudly pointing to a chaise longue she got from a photography studio discard.

Who are her chief competitors? She believes they range from Savers discount stores to high-end consignment stores including Pzazz. The Ultimate You had a location for years nearby on Kapahulu in the Hee Hing Plaza building. But owner Kelsey Sears said the rent proved too much and she shifted to sales on the Web.

But Reaver said Ross Dress for Less stores are her main competition. "I love Ross," she said, "but I can't tell you how much I hate shopping there." She celebrates the great deals, but gets frustrated by long waits in understaffed stores with minimal customer service. Reaver said she'll keep expanding if customers support it. She's hoping her next location would be in Pearlridge.