Heritage Trading Post: Columbus's Resale Shop for Baby Gear, Kids' Furniture, and Secondhand Finds

A children's resale shop on Columbus's north side, Heritage Trading Post buys and sells gently used baby gear, kids' clothing, toys, and furniture at prices well below what the same items cost new at big-box retail.

What the Store Sells

The inventory spans the full range of what families need from birth through early childhood: infant car seats, strollers, bouncers, high chairs, cribs, dressers, play yards, and clothing sorted by size. Stock rotates constantly because the shop operates on a buy-sell-trade model, meaning what's on the floor depends almost entirely on what local families have brought in that week. That variability is central to how the store works, and it's worth knowing before you make a trip specifically for one item.

Furniture pieces, when available, tend to be the highest-value finds. A solid-wood dresser or crib that would run $300–$500 new from a brand like DaVinci or Pottery Barn Kids routinely appears in resale shops at $75–$175, depending on condition. Clothing is priced in the low single digits per piece. Larger gear such as strollers and travel systems falls in the $40–$150 range, again depending on brand and condition.

How It Compares to Other Columbus Options

Columbus has several avenues for secondhand baby gear, and knowing the differences helps you choose where to go first.

Once Upon a Child, with locations in Columbus including the Polaris-area and Westerville corridors, is the dominant chain competitor. It operates on the same buy-sell-trade model and has high foot traffic, which means inventory is deep but turnover is fast. Once Upon a Child is more standardized in how it evaluates and prices items, which can be a pro or con depending on whether you want predictability or room to find underpriced stock. Heritage Trading Post functions more like an independent shop, which means pricing and curation can vary more from visit to visit.

For furniture specifically, Columbus parents also check Facebook Marketplace and the Ohio Moms resale groups, where prices can go lower but there's no in-person inspection before purchase. Heritage Trading Post's advantage over those channels is the ability to examine items before buying and, if you're selling, get cash or trade credit on the spot rather than coordinating individual pickups.

Who It Suits

Families outfitting a nursery on a tight budget will get the most out of this shop. If you're furnishing a second child's room, replacing something that wore out, or building up a clothing rotation for a fast-growing infant, the resale model makes practical sense. Parents who need a specific brand or specific safety certification and won't accept substitutes will find resale shopping frustrating in general; Heritage Trading Post is no exception.

Sellers benefit too. Families who have aged out of gear and don't want to manage individual online listings can bring items in, get an offer, and leave with cash or store credit the same day.

What a First Visit Looks Like

Walk-in buying requires no appointment. You browse the floor directly, and staff can answer questions about specific items. If you're bringing items to sell, call ahead or check current buying guidelines before loading up the car, since most resale shops periodically pause buying in certain categories when they're overstocked.

The store's layout is typical of a mid-size resale shop: clothing is organized by size, gear is grouped by type, and furniture is placed wherever floor space allows. Budget at least 20–30 minutes if you're browsing actively, since the visual merchandising isn't always intuitive when stock is dense.

Practical Details

Heritage Trading Post is located in Columbus and caters primarily to families on the north side, though the resale price points draw shoppers from across the city. Street and lot parking is available. Hours can shift seasonally or with staffing, so confirming current hours via phone or Google before making a special trip is reasonable, particularly if you're coming from Westerville, Dublin, or another suburb and combining it with other errands. Pricing on gear does not typically involve negotiation the way some antique or consignment stores allow; posted prices are generally final.

For Columbus parents comparison-shopping resale options, Heritage Trading Post fits best as a neighborhood-first stop: closer, smaller, and less corporate than Once Upon a Child, with the upside and downside that both implies.