3-year-old inspires business idea
Written by Marjorie Preston Monday, 02 January 2012 15:31
Mom opens kids’ boutique in Court House
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE – After living in Philadelphia for 12 years, Cape May County natives Charlie and Connie Brown came home for a single reason: to raise their daughter, Harper, 3, near her grandparents and extended family.
“She’s my main motivation,” said Brown of Harper, who also inspired a new business, the children’s boutique A Stork’s Bite on South Main Street. (The store name refers to a type of birthmark; Harper has one on her forehead, which “only shows when she cries or laughs real hard,” according to her mother.)
The family moved from the Main Line to Rio Grande, “back to the same neighborhood,” said Brown, a former real estate property manager and interior designer. She opened A Stork’s Bite in September.
The store’s website calls it “a trendy place for your trendy child,” featuring apparel by Chic Baby America and RuffleButts, among others, as well as kids’ furniture by manufacturers like Bananafish. Brown scours New York trade shows four times a year for new finds, and seldom carries the same item twice. Her goal is “to bring in everything you can’t get your hands on in Cape May County.
“We have custom tutus – for younger mothers it’s the thing to do for recitals, with a pair of cool leg warmers and a T-shirt or leotard,” she said. A Stork’s Bite features tiny suits and tuxedos for little guys; christening outfits; lots of party dresses; brightly hued umbrellas; hats, shoes and boots; toys; and whimsical hand-painted furniture.
Brown enlisted local crafters and knitters to fill the shelves too.
“I try to work closely with local moms and women-owned businesses,” she said. “It keeps local women pumping along and gives them a storefront” to sell their wares.
The advantages of a Main Street clothing store are several, Brown believes. “You can do a lot of shopping online these days, but you don’t get to touch it” beforehand, she said. The selections she carries are usually unavailable in a chain store.
“And it keeps everything in Cape May County, which helps everybody out,” Brown said. “I want that small-town feeling. I want people to come in and have a cup of coffee. And they always will deal only with me, the owner.” She’ll come to the shop after hours at a customer’s request, and make house calls to consult on nursery designs.
Brown even uses carbon-paper receipts, which she considers a more personal touch.
For parents of Middle Township students, A Stork’s Bite carries tops, skirts and pants that conform to the school district’s uniform policy – with a difference. “For girls, sometimes you can only find a boxy style” of three-button shirt, she said. “I actually found a different cut with a pleat” that makes for a better fit; it also has a small ruffle on the collar, and comes in a number of vibrant colors. The shirts are uniform and stylish at the same time.
This year, Brown plans to collect shoes for the charity Soles for Souls, which distributes them to needy children overseas.
“If you bring in gently used shoes up to size 3, you get $2 off a reloadable card that you can use toward anything,” she said.
While they loved the big city, Brown said she and her husband are glad to be back. “It was fun to be away in our 20s. But Cape May County always brings you back home. This is such a great place to raise kids.”
A Stork’s Bite is located at 14 South Main Street in Cape May Court House. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, Thursdays until 7 p.m. For more information, call 536-8251 or see www.AStorksBite.com.
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