What would you like to see in a local children’s shop?

[Winnie28]

Hey all!!
This is my first post on here.
I’m a mum of 3 and I am currently considering opening a children’s store in my local city. It’s something that I’ve thought about often and definitely something that I personally feel I would really value, however I’d love some feedback on what it is other mums would love to have more access to? It feels to me that everything for our little ones is online other than the mainstream stores.
For reference the shops I love online are brands often featured in websites such as Scandiborn. Please let me know your thoughts!! Thanks x

first time i’ve heard of Scandiborn so just had a look.

Really odd tbh. I went on the section for toys for 2 year olds and they are listing a lot of babyish toys like baby walkers. So that put me off straight away.

But see what others say. I know lots of people love wooden toys but i avoid them as they hurt when thrown.

Op have you done any costings? Independent shops have very tight margins, occasionally they have a winning formula and do really well, but many fail in the first year of trading. In order to succeed you’ll need enough capital to see you through at least three years of trading ( you will almost certainly run at a loss in your first year, break even in your second, and finally start turning a profit and drawing a salary in your third), and this will only happen if you have an in demand product, and good footfall.
costs: shop rent and utility bills.
Depending of the size of the shop floor you may be liable for business rates (which can be crippling and labour might well look at raising these costs)
insurance
unit price of goods and you’ll need to think about storage space for your stock.
would you need a member of staff or will you run it single handedly?
you might want to think about having an online shop and associated costs there.
Have you considered looking at running a market stall first? Your over heads will be considerably lower, if it doesn’t work out you won’t lose £££££, if trading does go well you can look to expand your business.

I would open an online shop. The cost of running a high street retail business will completely swallow any profits you might make. Sustainable scandi children’s stuff is a very niche market. Instagram, Etsy, Vinted, TikTok but you’d be mad to open a physical shop in this market.

Where would you open it op? High street is dying off.

I live near 2 very middle class market towns and have seen beautiful shops like what I think you are envisaging open before in both. I pop in enthusiastically but despite my husband being in the top 5% of earners based on his salary I still can’t justify £25 on a tshirt or £65 for a frilly cardigan for a newborn. I like looking at the cute stuff but I can’t afford it and frankly it doesn’t look very practical, party clothes mostly. Shops in these towns never seem to last very long. In one of these towns, a lovely play cafe opened in 2021 (wooden climbing structure, wooden toys etc) and lasted less than a year before they went under.

the problem is the people with the money are rarely the people with the children!

The friends who i do have who are keen on these scandi brands buy online second hand for both cost and environmental reasons.

You mentioned considering all price points. I understand your perspective but I think it will influence your USP (Agree, a bit Hygge Tygee. Nothing wrong with that but does immediately price you out of a significant proportion of families).

Just not too expensive please. I prefer buying in person so I can actually see the item. We have a great one in town here, ranging from personal care (toothbrushes, paste, creams etc), weaning bits, toys, clothes, reusable nappies, dummies & bibs, slings... it really encompasses everything, but it's all expensive so I rarely go in.

Also I like when the shopkeeper is an expert in their products and can offer knowledgeable recommendations.

I live in an affluent area with a very busy high street. Loads of smart cafes always full to bursting, artisan bakeries, a fishmonger, a large organic store etc - and yet whenever anyone opens the sort of shop you are describing they don't seem to last long. It sounds like a place I would happily browse in from time to time but maybe only buy something once a year.

When I had small children I was desperate for a local shop that sold basics that I could pick up as I was out and about - socks, underwear, polo tops in school uniform colours, children's books, pocket money toys etc. I was much more likely to spend regularly on that kind of stuff than on beautiful wooden toys as occasional gifts.

I live in a popular tourist city. A shop in the high street here will be about £50000- £100000 in rent a year or more, and that’s just rent, nothing else.

I grew up in a very comfortable market town with high number of private schools etc. Rent there is apparently more like £20000 to £25000 a year. It’s a hell of a lot of sales to even approach that.

Recent thread about what annoys people about independent shops overwhelmingly mentioned unreliable or short opening hours. So you either need to be covering decent hours yourself, with zero breaks, year round, all through the holidays etc, or to make enough to pay, train and keep reliable staff who won’t let you down.

It depends why you want to do this - a passion for retail, a new career, a passion for the things you’re selling? What about a Doordash local delivery service where you can choose from a catalogue of stocked gifts/clothing basics/craft supplies and have them delivered, maybe gift wrapped , to the door, by e-bike? So when I wake up and realise oh crap, I have two kids’ parties and nothing suitable, I can fix the issue? But tbh most people are just going to head to the supermarket for that.

We had a shop like this (naice seaside town) which sold children’s books, toys, shoes and clothes. It was so expensive-£65 for a small baby blanket and people would just go in, pick things up to look at the prices and raise their eyes at each other! It lasted less than a year.

The local toy shop where I live which just opened up only seems to sell toys for up to 5 years old which isn’t great for my nephew, 7 but was perfect for his brother, 2. We did get younger something from there but then went to the only other toy shop locally which is a charity shop and bought toys there.

The Jo Jo Maman Bebe shop in my local chi chi area closed down but was open a few years I think.

Gosh yes!

I am lucky enough to live near a local small town that is stuffed full of independents and there is one I would like to visit but it's opening hours are all over the place and change without notice!

Wooden toys, clothes cut for cloth, cloth nappies and wipes, sustainable clothing, second buy and sell scheme for the above.

I would love to use your shop but I can tell you now, even with the best will in the world I doubt I wouldn't use your store as whilst I have the finances to buy from such a shop and it would fit with my morals I am time and energy poor. I do most of my shopping after 8pm this is when I get to sit down and think about things beyond day to day life. By that time I have no interest in leaving the house to go to a shop