Raising a family takes a village, and no one understands that concept more than Kannan Harms. As a mom of three little ones (ages seven and under), life is busy, and the kids…they keep growing! This made Once Upon a Child, a resale franchise that has been open in Rapid City for the last 10 years, an ideal spot to shop.
Once Upon a Child buys gently used clothes and products from its customers, paying cash for their selected inventory.
“I love the design and concept of this store,” said Kannan. “There is so much life left in children’s clothing and products once the kids have grown beyond their use. Having it available at an affordable cost for another family to use not only makes a great impact on the environment (keeping items out of the landfill), it is incredibly helpful to the community for paying cash to help with bills, groceries–you name it–while also giving opportunity for other families to shop on a budget.”
Growing up in Wall, Kannan was very familiar with Rapid City. Though she and her husband moved around the Midwest, the Black Hills has always felt like home. Now, after moving back to the area, they made the decision to put down roots.
When the opportunity to purchase Once Upon a Child came available, Kannan couldn’t pass it up.
“I had shopped here, and it aligns so well with my core values,” said Kannan. “I wanted to do something different from banking where I had been for the last decade before purchasing Once Upon a Child, and family is something I’m very passionate about.”
Since taking ownership in November 2022, Kannan has experienced the highs and lows of entrepreneurship.
“We have busy and stressful days, just like any other business,” she reflected. “But what makes a huge difference is our amazing team and supportive customers. We are truly like family–a community within our community.”
Once Upon a Child has nearly 35 employees, half that are full-time and a portion of part time employees are students. With a positive culture at the forefront of Kannan’s work environment, the team thrives with a mixture of personalities, skills, and talents.
“This is a first job for many of our high school students working at Once Upon a Child, and I am honored to be leading the way for them. They have so much to learn and accomplish in their lifetime, and having them as employees gives myself and my managers the chance to be a positive influence in their growth,” said Kannan.
Giving back to the community in one form or another has been Kannan’s mission all along. From offering individuals cash in exchange for gently used products, giving customers a place to purchase quality products for a fraction of the retail cost, and mentoring the next generation of workforce in Rapid City—Kannan and the team at Once Upon a Child are making an impact within this place they call home.
“I am so blessed with the team I have and the customers I get to serve. We just love being a part of families’ journeys,” said Kannan.
Once Upon a Child is located at 780 Mount View Road, near Ace Hardware Store.
