If downtown Edmonds wasn’t cute enough, one of its downtown mainstays Belly & Co., which has been trading in on the precious and high-end in maternity and toddlers’ merchandise, got a new owner on May 1.
Brittani Straub, founder and designer of Little Bipsy, an Everett-based baby custom shop and design company, bought the business, making it her first storefront after a couple of years selling online.
Straub got into the baby business with the birth of her baby. She was reselling her son’s outgrown clothes online and got really into it, wrapping her items up in ribbons and tissue with a handwritten note. The clothes may have been used, but she wanted the moms who bought them to have a special treat when they opened their purchases.
“I loved it, getting in touch with all these moms from all over the world,” says Straub.
PHOTO: KELLY CLARE PHOTOGRAPHY Brittani Straub, founder and designer of Little Bipsy, an Everett-based baby custom shop and design company. |
Soon she had a following and customers who liked her sense of style. She started Little Bipsy (her granddad’s nickname for her), reselling a custom blend of baby clothing. And a search for the exact right pair of shoes led to her designing a tiny high-top for tots. It sold out in months. Now, in addition to shoes, Little Bipsy has its own line of basics including rompers, T-shirts, knit pants and shoes. They are spendy, but definitely pair well with some elastic-waisted, distressed Hudson jeans. “My son is often dressed better than I am,” concedes Straub.
Little Bipsy had just opened its headquarters in Everett when Belly & Co. owner Kristina Freeburg approached Straub about buying the store. The two immediately clicked. Belly & Co’s 5th and Main Street location is one of the most sought-after storefronts in Edmonds, and Freeburg, looking to spend more time with her family, wanted to keep the store as a children’s clothing store as it’s been for more than 40 years. Straub loved Little Bipsy’s offerings, and the 77,000 followers on Instagram didn’t hurt. “I don’t think brick-and-mortar is going anywhere. We’re tactile, we like to touch and feel,” says Freeburg. The new store will have a new look, but a lot of the same quality gear and community feel.
“We’re going to call it Belly & Co. by Little Bipsy because they’ve done such a great job down there,” says Straub. There will be events to meet customers and an official grand opening, with giveaways soon to be announced. She’s even talking with the folks at Teri’s Toybox, located next door, about some collaborations.
422 Main St., Edmonds, littlebipsy.com, This May, take 15% off with code LBC15, online only.
