Jack n’ Jill Shop: PREMIER STORE SPOTLIGHT Q&A

Le Top went up a hill to find the cutest boutique ever! This week we are featuring one of our most favorite premier boutiques – Jack n’ Jill Shop – in Homewood, Alabama. We were able to interview Store Manager, Laura Player, about the best holiday gifts this season, Christmas discounts the store will be offering for eager parent shoppers, the favorite local family hangouts and her favorite holiday traditions to share with your family. Read more to discover one f the best boutiques to shop at this festive season!

 Jack n’ Jill Shop

2918 South 18^th Street
Homewood, AL 35209
205.879.7681

CHECK-IN and JOIN Jack n’ Jill Shop Facebook page and click HERE

1.    Tell us the inspiration behind the name Jack N Jill Shop? How long has your store been around? 
The Jack n’ Jill Shop was established in 1954 as the first children’s clothing boutique in the suburb of Homewood, Alabama that is located directly outside of the Birmingham city limits. I am not exactly sure what the inspiration was behind the name Jack n’ Jill other than that the original owners thought that it would be cute to name their store after a popular children’s nursery rhyme. It’s definitely a name that children and parents can easily remember!

2.    The holidays are LITERALLY around the corner and it is the last weekend to buy holiday gifts before Christmas Eve. What are your top 3 items (clothes, toys, giftables, etc.) for any parent shopping for the holidays at your store?

• Matching Christmas pajamas are one of our best sellers. Our customers really like to have all their children matching in front of the Christmas tree for pictures on Christmas morning.
• Christopher Pop-In-Kins the magical little Elf that “Pops-in” to children’s homes every Thanksgiving and returns to the North Pole on Christmas Eve to report a child’s good or bad behavior back to Santa Claus.
• Lots of white and red Le Top turtlenecks, tights, hair bows, and other accessories sell very well as people pick up those last minute items they need to accessorize their child’s Christmas outfit.

3.    Any special events or fun holiday traditions that you have planned at your store for Christmas or the New Year? Tell us the inside scoop about any special events and especially the fun deals we can expect!
We start the holiday season out every year on the first Thursday of November with the Downtown Homewood Holiday Open House. All of the shops on our street stay open three hours later and offer special sales, food, etc to customers in their stores. The Jack n’ Jill Shop offers a discount on all holiday clothing and accessories that night.

On the first Sunday of December we hold our annual 50% off fall merchandise and 30% off Christmas apparel sale.  This event is huge and helps to clean out merchandise to make way for the spring items that start arriving during December.  

4.    What’s your favorite holiday tradition and or nostalgic moment and why? Whether it is decorating the Christmas tree to eating peppermint bark to lighting the menorah candles to baking in the kitchen, etc….

Streuselkuchen

My favorite holiday tradition is making a German kuchen cake on Christmas Eve for my family. Kuchen is delicious yeast based coffee cake with a fabulous gooey cinnamon and sugar topping. This tradition was started by my grandmother when my mother and her sisters were small girls, continued with my mom baking it for my brother and me, and now I bake it for my family. 

5.    What would you suggest as the top 3 essentials in the winter that any parent should buy to brighten up their child’s wardrobe this winter?

• A fleece jacket is a must for any child’s wardrobe.  Fleece is not only warm it washes and dries easily which is great for mom!
• A lightweight crocheted or fleece hat is great for chilly days and nights. Lots of girls are now pinning a cute flower to their hat, which really adds a touch of wow!
• A plain white cardigan is an essential for chilly Sunday mornings throughout the south so we stock them year round for our customers.

6.    What is your favorite holiday film past or present for kids/family?
My favorite holiday film is the first “Home Alone.” There is just something so cute about Macaulay Culkin and the ingenious ideas he uses to fight the burglars that try to break into his home. I enjoy watching this movie with my husband and son every year.

7.    Tell us…before you “had kids or grandkids, what is one thing you swore you’d never…?”
The one thing I swore I would never do is have a DVD player in my car to keep my child occupied during long trips. Needless to say there is now a DVD player in my car and In fact, I managed to get out during the wee morning hours of Black Friday to search out a new one this year!

8.    Describe the neighborhood of your store location in Homewood, Alabama? Did you grow up in the local area?
The Jack n’ Jill Shop is located in “Old” Downtown Homewood. The “Old” comes from the fact that the street hasn’t changed very much throughout the years. The buildings remain virtually unchanged since their inception. I grew up in Homewood, graduated from Homewood High School and even shopped in the Jack n’ Jill Shop as a child. The best thing about the Homewood community is the wonderful support the local businesses receive from its residents. People like to shop with us because of the deep tradition our store reflects within the local community. Not many stores have customers that can say they are the 3rd or 4th generation that has shopped at Jack n’ Jill.

9.    Where are the best/essential family hangouts and places to go around your store location?
The Jack n’ Jill Shop is nestled in between Sikes Children’s Shoes and Savages Bakery, which makes a very exciting shopping adventure for children and their families. Savages has been baking wonderful cookies, cakes, and pastries in the Homewood community since 1939. In fact, it’s quite a tradition for families to stop by Jack n’ Jill, purchase a holiday outfit, head to Sikes Children’s Shoes for their matching pair of shoes, and swing into Savages for either lunch or a special treat.

10.    What Le Top or rabbitmoon winter 2011 collection is your store’s favorite and why?
The favorite Le Top collection for my store this fall has been the Horsin’ Around & Primrose Pony brother and sister collections. Each year Le Top manages to create such an exceptionally cute Western group for both boys and girls. What child doesn’t dream of being a little Cowboy or Cowgirl! Thanks Le Top for continuing to create fabulous age appropriate clothing for children.

Jack n’ Jill Shop

2918 South 18^th Street
Homewood, AL 35209
205.879.7681 

Click HERE to
CHECK-IN and JOIN 
Jack n’ Jill Shop’s Facebook page 
 

 

 

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Quackles Boutique: PREMIER STORE SPOTLIGHT Q&A

This week we interviewed a fun boutique in Poughkeepsie, New York for our Premier Store Spotlight called – Quackles! Mother-Daughter Duo and co-owners, Kathy Lorenz and mother Phyllis Lorenz, gave us the scoop on their upcoming Friends & Family event (don’t miss out on it) along with their favorite holiday movies and Le Top and rabbitmoon “must-have” winter essentials for your kiddo’s wardrobe. Read more on the best family hangouts and the inspiration behind their store Quackles and more!

Quackles

44 Raymond Avenue
Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
845.471.2250
store.quackles.com

CHECK-IN and JOIN Quackles’ Facebook page and click HERE

Interior of Quackles

1.    Tell us the inspiration behind opening your own boutique? How did you come up with the name?
My mom and I had always shopped in boutiques when my 1st daughter was born and the more we shopped the more we thought that we could do the same thing. As for the name, my 2 daughters called the plural of ducks “quackles”.

Quackles participated in the Silhouette of a Woman Fashion Show to benefit the Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation featuring Le Top's "Seeing Spots" outfit

2.    Tell us the inside scoop about any special events that you have planned for your boutique for the holidays, especially the fun deals we can expect! Anything for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah or Christmas?
As of Saturday, November 19th we will post on Facebook our Quackles Friends and Family discount through Thanksgiving. For Hanukkah and Christmas, we have a special day hosting a Holiday Bazaar at the store and at my daughter’s dance academy. We are also hosting a Holiday Cookie Swap!

3.    Please tell us 1 fun Thanksgiving tradition you had with your family as a child that you can share with our readers.
We always went to my godmother’s house for Thanksgiving and she lived on a golf course. My brothers and cousins would venture out with bags and collect golf balls and then we would compare how many we each collected. Then we all sat down to a wonderful traditional Thanksgiving meal. A good time had by all.

4.    What would you suggest as the top 3 essentials in the winter that any parent should buy to brighten up their child’s wardrobe?
Fun hat, playful mittens and versatile boots.

Scene from "A Christmas Story"

5.    What is your favorite holiday film past or present for kids/family?
“A Christmas Story” and “Polar Express.”

6.    Tell us…before you “had kids or grandkids, what is one thing you swore you’d never…?”
As a grandmother I vowed I would never break the rules regarding “spoiling” them, but that’s the best part!!!

7.    Where are the best/essential family hangouts and places to go around your store location?
Diamond gymnastics, Poughkeepsie Children’s Museum, Debra T’s, and family ice skating at Mid Hudson Civic Center.

8.    What Le Top or rabbitmoon Fall 2011 collection is your store’s favorite and why?
Le Top’s “Candy Cane Cutie” Collection for the holidays and the Rabbitmoon “Soho” Collection for boys.

Le Top "Candy Cane Cutie" Sweater Dress and Red Dot Tights

Quackles

44 Raymond Avenue
Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
845.471.2250
store.quackles.com

CHECK-IN and JOIN Quackles’ Facebook page and click HERE

 

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Baby O Baby: PREMIER RETAILER Q&A

It wouldn’t be the holidays in San Antonio, Texas without the beautiful and festive window displays at premier children’s boutique, Baby O Baby. We interviewed children’s boutique owner and kiddo style guru, Becki Guillory, about the history of her store and how twins and triplets were her inspiration and other fun facts!

1. What was the inspiration behind the name Baby O Baby?
Becki: The inspiration came once the conception of our store began. It is certainly a term of endearment. I have a very close friend who began having children several years before me. Now remember, this was before high-tech ultra sounds, AVI, and before a father was even allowed in the delivery room. The first time my friend gave birth, we were all eagerly waiting at the hospital and surrounded by many friends and family. After a long wait, the doctor came out and said, “Congratulations!! Your wife is fine, and your daughter is beautiful!” Before Toni (the husband) could say a word, the doctor continued on to say,” and your son is a handsome boy.” That was a shock! My friend’s second pregnancy, was the same routine…after what seemed to be an eternity of waiting, he (the doctor) came out and said, “Well folks [looking at Toni], you have not one baby…[lingering in suspense and joking], Baby Oh Baby…” He then finished with, “Oh babies. She had triplets!” From that point on, the triplets were nicked named “baby ‘o babies…Oh baby!!!!” Now as my friend’s family grew, she had two sets of twins and two sets of triplets – their very own football team…And a beautiful children’s boutique called Baby O Baby.

2.     Describe the neighborhood where your store is located. Did you grow up in the local area? Is it the same as it was growing up?
Becki: No, I did not grow up here, but I moved here twenty-one years ago. This [Baby O Baby’s location] is the side of San Antonio that we choose. It still had that “in the country feel.” My children remember walking through the woods to and from school. We knew it was going to be a wonderful place to call “home.” I would describe the Stone Oak area to be the side of town where young posh families chose to start their families. And over the years, it has changed beyond recognition. We have a lot of international customers that come three or four times a year. We are the home to our beloved Silver Stars Basketball Team and the WNBA Silver Stars. I believe this is the area of San Antonio that will thrive and grow for many, many years to come.

3.     What would you suggest as the top 3 essentials in the winter that any parent should buy to brighten up their child’s wardrobe?
Becki: Gosh, we get to choose the best of both worlds for a winter wardrobe. For San Antonio, Texas it may be colder than usual this season, but it can be in the 70s and 80s some days! For us, sunscreen, cute little rain boots (both boy and girl), and a very colorful lightweight jacket would be my 3 picks for winter. On the other hand, we have grandparents who visit their grandkids for Christmas up North. My essentials for those travelling would be Le Top’s pink faux fur coat for girls, Le Top’s aviator jacket for boys, cozy PJ’s, beautiful bow accessories, and of course, good shoes for their feet. We are known at our store for our special bows. My daughter, Shannon, makes custom bows to match every outfit we have!

4.     What is your favorite holiday film past or present for kids/family?
Becki: Our favorite is “A Christmas Carol.” It has been a film reproduced many times. I think it reminds us to stop, look around, and remember there are families that need our help, not just at Christmas, but all year round. “God Bless You Tiny Tim.”

Photos of Becki's adorable 3-year-old grandson, Dean Aaron. His Dad is serving his country. Here is Dean at a Christmas lights outing.

5.     Tell us…before you “had kids or grandkids, what is one thing you swore you’d never…?” Please share!
Becki: Ha-Ha, there are a lot. But one of my pet peeves is makeup on little baby girls. And, I would never let my kids pick out their clothes alone.

6.     The holidays are LITERALLY around the corner and it is the last weekend to buy holiday gifts before Christmas Eve. What are your top 3 items (clothes, toys, giftables, etc.) for any parent shopping for the holidays at your store?
Becki: This is true – right around the corner! We always suggest a classic children’s book. It is so wonderful to curl up with your kids and read to them. They love it! We carry a wide selection of gifts from tricycles to mini tables and chairs. Always a favorite, we also carry doll, Baby Stella. Our customers very seldom leave our store without Le Top’s Santa hat that they love.  You would be surprised about the number of pictures we get back with the adults wearing the Santa hat on top of their heads! It’s that “cute factor” going on. We also suggest for a little baby our Le Top Red Nosed Reindeer plush toy – the kids love the music when you squeeze it. It is also super soft and their [kids] tiny hands can hold on to any part of the toy.

7.     What’s your favorite holiday tradition and or nostalgic moment and why? Whether it be decorating the Christmas tree to eating peppermint bark to lighting the menorah candles to baking in the kitchen, etc….
Becki: Going together to Mass. But our nostalgic moment now has been watching the kids and their stockings. They run into the den, snag their stockings that are hanging on the mantel and run straight to my bed. (Thankfully, these moments give us a chance to pray and reflect on Christmases past. It’s also a great way to stop for a moment before we gather in the den that becomes present central. Now, I know the peek when they get their stockings, but What Child Wouldn’t!!!

8.     Any special events or fun holiday traditions that you have planned at your store before Christmas?
Becki: Stone Oak has had a Winter Festival for five years now. It is so much fun for the whole family. There is a treasure hunt from selected stores. The kids get so excited when the run into a store to see if a listed treasure is available. We have a symbol on our door letting the kids know we are a store that is part of the treasure hunt. When the hunt ends, we bring in tons of snow late that afternoon for the kids to play in. There are so many fun activities for the whole family, and we pray it is cold that day, but even if it isn’t, the kids still build snowmen and snowwomen, have snowball fights and then the Festival ends when the snow has melted away. But most importantly, we work with Pathways. It is a branch of charitable foster care. Every Christmas, we put together new Christmas clothes and toys for the charity before their holiday party. Our store tries to give as much of a variety of clothing as we can because our store carries sizes up to 6x that can cover all of their clothing needs. Because of security for the children, this is the first Christmas that they organization has invited us to join in the festivity! “Oh what fun! It is to ride, in a one horse open sleigh!!!” And thanks to companies like Le Top and others we are able to bless the children with memories that will stay with me forever.

9.     Tell us your best parenting tip you know or would want to give to a new parent.
Becki: Of course to love them, and as they begin to talk, take a step back, inhale a few deep breaths, and LISTEN, but hear them. You have to watch out because kids are honest to a fault. As Mr. Art Linkletter once said “Kids say the darndest and do the funniest things.” Love them unconditionally. They grow up so fast.”

10.     What collection or piece from Le Top or Le Top Baby line or Rabbitmoon do you love from the Fall/Holiday 2010 collection?
Becki: Love, Love, Love the Elves Collection! Paula (our manager) does our store window. When these outfits arrive to our store, she stuffed the body and legs with the little toes dangling. Oh they are so cute! We put one in the window about every half an hour. When she gets the elves hung up in the window, people see it and it’s out the door. Love Le Top’s aviator jacket and bomber hat. My grandson, Dean Aaron, is 3-years-old.  He comes from a military family stationed in Georgia. Since I mailed him the aviator jacket and hat to him, I don’t think he’s taken it off – but maybe only to bath and sleep. He is also wearing and loves his Reindeer Games Collection green cord pants and striped shirt.  He knows this Reindeer Collection because he wears one every season made by Le Top.

Baby O Baby
1207 N Loop 1604 W # 107
San Antonio, TX 78258-4629
210.256.8687

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