The last thing Chicago businesswoman Corri McFadden wanted to do was one of "those" reality shows.
You know, the typical cable fare that portrays 20-something women as man-hungry, emotional beings who wear their heart on their sleeve.
And that's far from what you get in " House of Consignment," a new VH1 series debuting March 21 at 9 p.m. that delves into McFadden's world.
"At the end of the day with a reality show, they can only take what you give them," McFadden says. "There is the power of editing, but if you're a nasty person, that's how you're going to come off, but I'm comfortable with me."
McFadden is far from nasty, but she is extremely driven and focused when it comes to her Lincoln Park-based business, eDrop-Off.
The business takes clients' luxury clothing and accessories and posts them on eBay, taking a cut of the sale.
The idea sprung from a grad school project, but in a few short years, the 30-year-old Kansas City native has taken the business that she started with $37 in her pocket to grossing $6 million last year. That's a lot of Gucci shoes.
"Consignment for so long has been schlepping your stuff to some dark store and not knowing what happens to it," McFadden says. "I wanted to create a luxury boutiqe experience like you might get at Barneys."
Expect to see plenty of Chicago events, places and people in the show. In the season premier, McFadden does a closet clean out for Karyn Calabrese, known for her vegeterian restaurants.
"A lot of people think of the Midwest like we're all farmers and don't know how to dress, and that's not what it is. This town is very charismatic and it showcases that," McFadden says.
And shrewd businesswoman that she is, McFadden is aware of the bounce all of this national exposure will provide for her budding empire.
"I'm looking to expand to other cities and I know at some point we'll have to add staff, and I'm prepared for that, but for now we'll just take things as they come," McFadden says.
Video shot by Cam Be and Summer Nettles, edited by Marcus Riley.
