Belli Bambini Boutique: PREMIER STORE SPOTLIGHT Q&A

We spoke with storeowner, Melissa Delancy, this week about her over the top adorable and great to shop in boutique in Southern Pines, North Carolina. She gave us the scoop on how she started her store, where the best local family hangouts are these days, as well as her top Le Top boys and girls collections this season for your kiddo. Did we mention she gives a special discount if you dress up for Halloween and come to her store? Go get your costumes soon! 🙂 Read more below about one of our favorite Le Top boutique retailers – Belli Bambini.

Belli Bambini

118 Northwest Broad Street
Southern Pines, NC 28387
910.692.6926

CHECK-IN and JOIN Belli Bambini’s Facebook pageand click HERE

1.    Tell us the inspiration behind opening your own boutique?
Melissa:  I started working in the children’s industry at Gap Kids when I started college. It was a very hard, exhausting, and rewarding job. After the long hours. I swore I would never work retail again. But I went on to work at private boutiques and fell in  love …22 years later here I am, and still loving it.

Le Top Fall 2011 "Zoo Kazoo" collection

2.    How did you come up with the name?
Melissa:  Decisions can be my worst enemy. I had at least 40 names to choose from and my husband finally told me I had until the end of  the day. I wanted something sweet that was about both boys and girls. That’s why we are called Belli and not Bella. 

3.    Fall is in the air and Charlotte Magazine mentions you are a store for posh tots! You definitely are on the local style radar – what are 3 staples you can tell parents to buy from your store for when transitioning their kids’ wardrobe from summer threads to warm clothes for the fall?
Melissa:  Everyone must have a pair of TOMS, plus every shoes you buy, TOMS donates a pair to someone in need of shoes! Jeggings! Denim and colors…a great way to pair with an assortment of tops. Le Top red and white styles…perfect for Christmas and Valentines Day!

4.    Tell us the inside scoop about any special events that you have planned for your boutique for fall, especially the fun deals we can expect! Anything for Halloween next month?
Melissa:  Halloween we will dress up and if you dress up we will give you 15% off any regular price item. 

5.   Please tell us 1 fun Halloween tradition you had with your family as a child that you can share with our readers?
Melissa:  As a child I loved to dress up, but I didn’t like to ask for candy, because I didn’t feel it was appropriate. But I loved and still love to hand out candy and tell all the trick-or-treaters how adorable they are. Funny thing is my middle child has always been the same way. 

6.    What is one fun way to decorate a pumpkin or your home for Halloween?
Melissa:  We, or shall I say my husband, traces and cuts our pumpkins. He is very precise. 🙂

7.    Tell us…before you “had kids or grandkids, what is one thing you swore you’d never…?”
Melissa:  I swore I would never make my kids wear something they didn’t like, especially dresses! I hated to wear dresses and every Sunday my parents made me wear one to church. I wanted pants like my brother…guess what I lied! I must approve the attire. 

8.    Tell us about a “special” moment that has made your day working at your store.
Melissa:  It’s too hard to pick just one “aha” moment, but I must say its such a pleasure when a couple goes to the doctor to be told they are expecting a little miracle. Their first stop being Belli Bambini, either as a way of celebrating, or as a gift they give to their parents to tell them they are going to be grandparents. While I feel all children are so special, another “aha” moment is to see the smile of a mother-to-be who is awaiting for the birth mother(adoption) to give birth to their baby. What a blessing!

9.    Describe the neighborhood of your store location in Southern Pines, North Carolina. Did you grow up in the local area?
Melissa:  I was raised in San Antonio, Texas. My husband serves in the military which is what brought us to Southern Pines. Southern Pines is a beautiful little town. The train house and railroad tracks divide the shopping street into two sides. The best way to describe it is its “like living in Mayberry.” Plenty of unique boutiques, tasty restaurants, parks where you will see families walking their dogs, strolling their babies and eating an ice cream cones.   

10.    Where are the best/essential family hangouts and places to go around your store location?
Melissa:  Grab a bench, sit and enjoy the view. If you need more, we do have 27 golf courses and we are in horse country. 

11.    What Le Top or rabbitmoon Fall 2011 collection is your store’s favorite and why?
Melissa:  I love the Le Top “Zoo Kazoo” Collection  and for girls its the “Cute Cookie” Collection! 

Belli Bambini

118 Northwest Broad Street
Southern Pines, SC 28387
910.692.6926

CLICK HERE to CHECK OUT Belli Bambini on Facebook

Le Top Fall 2011 "Cute Cookie" Collection

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Hooray for Halloween!

Okay, I know Halloween is over, but I have to say that this was the best year ever when it came to my daughter, Lilah. Why? BECAUSE I LOVE HALLOWEEN! I love to dress up and I have always loved trick-or-treating. I was hoping Lilah would feel the same way. Last year we had a costume and a trick-or-treating plan for the day, but unfortunately when the time came to venture out, she refused to wear her costume. I tried to put it on and she took it off. Yes, I have a stubborn one. She did go trick-or-treating in her black cat t-shirt, but she said she was too shy to get candy from people. It was quite a let down (as a proud Halloween parent).

However, this year she chose her costume, Woody (from Disney’s Toy Story) and she was excited to go. On the Friday before Halloween, all of the kids at her school dressed up. I explained that if she didn’t dress up, she would stand out more and that she should participate with her other classmates. She went with it (woohoo!) and ended up having a great time at school and had photos taken of her with all of her friends.

When Grandma took her to Petaluma’s (California) treat-or-treating in the local downtown area, Lilah was able to dress up again as Woody. Yee Haa! She loved that people knew who she was dressed up as. Though still a bit shy about the trick-or-treating, she did participate (a big step forward for Lilah!). That night, we ended up not taking her out trick-or-treating, but she had a blast handing out candy to the other kids. We would sprint for the door and make a big deal of it every time the doorbell rang. All-in-all, it was fabulous Halloween. I can’t wait to do it again next year!

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Bringing Sunshine to Our Life – She’s Rainbow Brite!

Kristin, age 3 as Rainbow Brite

When I was born Rainbow Brite was all the rage (now you can guess my age!)  My dad thought I looked like her, orange hair and all, and he lovingly nicknamed me “Rainbow Brite.”  To this day he still calls me Rainbow Brite in that affectionate father voice – when he walked me down the aisle at my wedding he said “My Rainbow Brite is all grown up!”

My mom quickly adopted my dad’s nickname for me and decided that for my first true Trick Or Treating adventure she would make me a Rainbow Brite costume.  She did an impeccable job!  Although I may not look too happy in the picture I can assure you that I LOVED that costume and everything Rainbow Brite – from my sheets, to my wallpaper and especially my prized doll.  I believe my mom was able to squeeze me into my ‘perfect costume’ for two years!

 

 

 

 

 

For another le•top costume idea try sweet ‘Sophie the poodle’. Keira models the soft pink faux fur coverall with a hood and barking sound.

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