Trading Places The Woodlands opened on Robinson Road in Conroe about six years ago under the ownership of Max and Rosemaris Jesson. Now, under new ownership as of early July, the consignment store still offers a large variety of new and used furniture, antiques and collectibles.

Mario and Lorraine Sandoval took over Trading Places after moving to Texas from California four months ago. Lorraine said she and her husband originally came into the store to buy a couch and instead ended up making an offer to buy the store.

“We came here to buy furniture for our house, and we ended up buying the store—we gave the owners an offer they couldn’t refuse,” Lorraine said. “We get a lot of regular and new customers, and some are surprised we’re new.”

Mario said the store will feature the same type of items that the previous owners kept at Trading Places. The couple may add in some miscellaneous items, such as dishes and clothes.

“We have one-of-a-kind items here and a very large selection,” Mario said. “I haggle with the consignment guy to give customers the very best price possible. I think the only way we’re going to be different is that we’re going to be a little cleaner and more organized.”

Trading Places not only sells used and new furniture for the living room, dining area and bedroom—it also buys furniture and antiques from customers. Furniture is featured in the store and then put on display outside. The store also offers furniture delivery.    “A lot of people come here and look for weird stuff and they turn it into creative things,” Lorraine said. “We try to price everything reasonably. And it’s a well-known consignment store; people come from far away to come here and see what we have.”

Lorraine said shoppers come from Houston and Galveston to find furniture, especially after the recent flooding this spring, when customers came in to buy used furniture.

Mario and Lorraine said if the store remains successful, the couple would like to expand Trading Places in the future.

“If we become very successful, we’d like to open more stores,” Mario said.