The Milky Way: STORE SPOTLIGHT PREMIER RETAILER Q&A

We were lucky enough to interview one of the CUTEST boutiques in Charlotte, North Carolina this week for our Premier Store Spotlight – The Milky Way! Owners Wooten and Adam Schmitz gave us their insight on what items a new mommy needs, their rule of thumb on children’s style and being prepared for parents looking for the hottest items to buy their kiddos this summer. Read more below to find out about this adorable boutique and their “fun in the sun” summer sales!

The Milky Way
1419 East Boulevard
Charlotte, NC 28203
704.374.9200
http://www.amilkyway.com/

Join The Milky Way’s Facebook page and click HERE

1.    What was your inspiration/ behind opening your children’s clothing store – The Milky Way?
Wooten: The original idea behind the store was to have everything for new and nursing mothers. We started out with a lot of very practical products for mothers and a few very adorable things for kids. But the cute kid piece of the business very quickly became our favorite.

Le Top "Beechy Keen" Seahorse Monokini

2.    Tell us about any special events that you have planned at your store this summer and fun deals we can expect.
Wooten: We always have a couple of great summer sales in which customers can get great deals on “fun in the sun” items. We offer adorable swimsuits from Le Top, re-usable swim diapers with cute prints, wide-brimmed sunhats and the safest and most eco-friendly sunscreens from California Baby.

3.    Describe the neighborhood of your store in Charlotte, North Carolina where your store is located. Did you grow up in the local area?
Wooten: We are located in the Dilworth area of Charlotte, which is a really interesting mixture of affluence and funkiness. It boasts lots of clothing and gift boutiques, art galleries and restaurants. I did not grow up in Charlotte, but it has long been considered the Carolina’s shopping mecca. We used to travel regularly to Charlotte from my small hometown in eastern North Carolina in order to shop, get our hair cut, and then eat at great restaurants. That was many years ago, but Charlotte hasn’t changed a bit in that respect.

4.    Summer break from school for kids is just around the corner. What are 3 vacation clothing must-have items that are in your store for summer?
Wooten: Our swim and skincare products, of course. We still have some beautiful sundress for girls, including this year’s best seller – Le Top’s Poppies collection.

 

5.   Where are your favorite family hangouts in the Charlotte, NC area?
Wooten: We love Discovery Place located uptown and have always enjoyed our visits to the Charlotte Nature Museum right here in Dilworth. And, of course, many summer hours are spent at our neighborhood swim club.

6.    Tell us…before you “had kids or grandkids, what is one thing you swore you’d never…?” Please share!
Wooten: There are so many things I thought I’d never do that I ended up doing.  It’s really kind of embarrassing to think about how little I knew. But if I had to choose one, it would be “buying” my children’s good behavior with the promise of ice cream — or some other delicious treat – later.

Le Top "Poppies" Stripe Umbrella Top & Print Capri Pants

7.    Tell us about a “special” moment that made your day working at your store.
Wooten: Honestly, the best moments for me are the ones in which I feel I’ve really helped make a struggling new mom’s life a little easier. Recently, I helped a young woman with a bra. She and her mother were both there. They’d been over the Charlotte metro area looking for a properly fitting nursing bra and were an the point on giving up until they got to The Milky Way. We fitted this new mom with three comfortable new bras and also reassured her that she was not alone in her difficulties. I got a hug and the most heartfelt thanks from both mother and grandmother as they departed, and it really did make my day!

8.    What do you think are the 3 perfect ingredients if there was a “recipe” for dressing a stylish child? Always having solid basics? The perfect tutu? Great jeans that are durable for the everyday play for boys? Tell us your ‘secret recipe’ on style.
Wooten: A stylish child is a happy child, so I’m big on comfort. I think some nice solids look great. Happy colors are a must for me. And I really believe that all children’s clothes should be from natural fibers. 100% cotton just can’t be beat from comfort, style and durability.

9.    What collection or piece from the Le Top or Le Top Baby line or Rabbitmoon do you love from the Spring/Summer 2011?
Wooten: I love the Le Top “Poppies” Collection! It’s so bold yet so feminine, and I think it really looks lovely on all skin types.

The Milky Way
1419 East Boulevard
Charlotte, NC 28203
704.374.9200
http://www.amilkyway.com

 Join The Milky Way’s Facebook page
and click HERE

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Celeb Baby Stella…all decked out!

Please tell me everyone has “guilty pleasures,” right?  A few weeks ago I was lying in bed watching Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood.  Yup, I admit it; I do watch Tori & Dean!  The celebrity parents were headed up to Vancouver, BC because Tori was guest starring in an episode of Smallville (filmed in gorgeous British Columbia.) On their much documented plane ride with their children (Stella’s first!) she was dressed in our very comfy and appropriate for traveling rabbitmoon orchid tracksuit!  I jumped out of bed and started screaming “THAT’S OUR TRACKSUIT, THAT’S OUR TRACKSUIT!”  My husband thought I had gone berserk as he ran in the room and asked what on earth I was screaming about!  I, with some exasperation regarding his lack of knowledge regarding all things “celebrity” told him why I was so excited.  He started jumping up and down with me…just kidding, he didn’t really do that, but he was excited for us!  I contemplated calling Chris, but then thought better of it as it was 10:30 ++ at night!  Here is a great clip from Tori and Dean’s plane ride…just fast forward to 2:59 minutes to see the outfit… CLICK HERE

I have never been one to stop at one of anything… so I then searched the Oxygen network website and found Stella wearing one of our darling swimsuits from the le•top Tropical Paradise collection!  Check out this cutie.

Photo from Oxygen.com. Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood. Click on photo to link to the site.

 LOVE THE STAR ATTITUDE…WOO HOO!

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le•top Design: Fashion Zoo

So, I wore my fabulously dramatic (not-so-cheap) black and white striped cotton Zara jacket to my friend’s birthday dinner the other night. Her 3-year-old daughter sat across the table and persistently tried to get my attention by shouting, “Excuse me! Excuse me!” Finally, the entire table stopped talking and turned to her. “What is it sweetie?”, I asked. She looked at me urgently and yelled, “You look like a ZEBRA!!” As we all burst out laughing, I thought how silly it is for us to sometimes go out of our way to look “fashionable”, and in an instant, a child can bring us back to the innocence and beautiful simplicity in which life should be lived! Then again, some kids do wear tutus all year around – but those kids grow up to wear “zebra” jackets! 😉

If you have one of those kids, or are just a fan of stripes – don’t forget about our Anchors Aweigh baby dress and coverall in a lovely stripe, and the Butterfly Wishes, black and white stripe swimsuit and cover-up dress!

le•top baby: Anchors Aweigh (top) and le•top playwear: Butterfly Wishes (bottom), both from le•top Spring 2009 Collection

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Keep Dreaming! This week: Puerto Rico!

When you’re a Jet, you’re a Jet all the way…”

Can you guess where we’re dreaming about today?! It’s Puerto Rico!! The songs from West Side Story warm our hearts, and our dreams of island life set our minds far, far away….

Puerto Rico’s lush landscapes, friendly people and central location to many other Caribbean locales makes it the perfect place to set our sights, and with this week’s deal, it would be hard to resist! The Marriot on Condado Beach (San Juan) is fabulous. My husband and I actually had a chance to stay there, and it was exquisite and very family friendly. It is literally set on the beach, so morning strolls along the ocean’s edge are inevitable and a great way to start the day. There are even fantastic children’s stores nearby that carry le•top, so be sure to stop by and grab a Strawberry Fields Swimsuit for the little one at D’Bebe in Dorado…if you are lucky enough to swipe up this fare!

$349 — Puerto Rico 4-Star Marriott Getaway w/Air

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