Sisters by Chance, Friends by Choice

Robin Clem and Amy Clem Coleman each bring their individual skills and talents to their business, Clem Girl’s Estate Sale Company

By Lindsey McMillan

Robin Clem and Amy Clem Coleman are sisters who love to sell.  The owners of Clem Girls Estate Sale Company, they are busy most weekends holding area sales. Following in their parents’ footsteps, they run their family business with expertise, hard work, and care. 

Texarkana natives Robin and Amy were raised by their parents, Tom and Becky Clem, who owned and ran Holiday Cleaners (now Legacy Cleaners).  Both women worked with their parents as young adults, learning firsthand the ins and outs of business ownership. Running Legacy Cleaners is now Robin’s full-time job, while Amy works as the CFO at the Arkansas Counseling and Mental Health Center. For years, they found total fulfillment in their positions and didn’t realize what was missing—until it walked in the door.

Five years ago, Robin owned a consignment shop in Summerhill Square called Robin’s Nest. One day, a customer inquired if she did estate sales. Intrigued, Robin offered to organize the sale for this customer, just to see how it went. It was successful, and Robin was hooked. Amy joined in almost immediately. The sisters had always loved second-hand shopping, and they knew how to run a family business; it just made sense.

While both women still maintain full-time jobs outside of estate sales, this isn’t “just a weekend job.” They hold sales almost every weekend, using weeknights to plan and prepare. It can get stressful.

The Clem Girls Estates Sale Company staff on their way to a sale in Broken Bow.  With Robin and Amy are Amy Martin and Rochelle Knighton.

Running an estate sale involves many facets, from conferring with the family to sorting and pricing. Additionally, after the sale ends on Sunday, the Clem sisters are responsible for ensuring the home is empty and clean, as it is usually put on the market very soon after. It’s a trying time for most families, who have either lost a loved one or need to move them out of the home. “We really try to ease the burden off the families and try to make the transition as easy as possible,” Amy said. “We also try to be very fair in pricing, which pleases our customers but also generates more in sales in the end for our clients. We have a pretty loyal following and are so thankful for them.” Most of their business comes from word-of-mouth and social media, Robin said.  

Amy stages and places the items for a sale while Robin takes photos and posts them online.

The most rewarding part of the business for both sisters is working together. “We each bring different skills and talents to the business that complement each other nicely,” Robin said. They also have two dedicated helpers who assist them with each sale. The hardest part, the sisters agreed, is the stress. It’s a labor-intensive venture, requiring them to sort, clean, price, and stage the items over a two-week period preceding a sale. “Many times we wonder if we will be finished in time,” Robin said. They have shed tears but also shared laughs along the way. 

For a part-time endeavor, the company keeps the sisters very busy, but their passion makes it worth the stress. “In a way [this business] is kind of a ministry,” Amy said. “There have been many sales where we have loved on, prayed for, and cried with the family.”

Amy’s daughter, Rebecca, and Alexandra, Robin’s daughter, often help their mothers during a sale.

The Clem Girls Estate Sale Company holds sales on Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.  On Saturday, the prices are reduced 25%, and on Sunday, 50%.  In addition to helping shoppers find secondhand treasures, Amy and Robin are providing a much needed service to families throughout the area, caring for all parties with know-how, compassion, and commitment.