Up next on store of the month . . . The Little House in Fairway, Kansas. This is one of our favorite wholesale partners! Their store is so much fun and has such a commitment to their customers and customer service. They have special events all the time, do monogramming and personal shopping! When they heard from customers it was difficult to find shoes they became a destination for kids shoes and even have a shoe club! Follow them on instagram (@littlehousekids), their feed is filled with cuties who shop with them.
Read below to learn a little more!
Q: How did you get started in retail?
A: The Little House has been in the Kansas City area for over 40 years. It has had a variety of owners and locations, but the first store was in a little house and the name stuck. In 2012 I took over The Little House from my youngest daughter, who had owned the store for a few years.
Q: When did you open?
A: The Little House opened in 1969, but we reopened in our current location in Fairway, Kansas in 2012.
Q: How would you describe your store?
A: We sell delightful children's clothing, shoes, and gifts. We have clothing for girls infant to size 14 and boys infant to size 7. For as long as The Little House has been open we've been dedicated to dressing children like children. We believe children should have comfortable clothing that doesn't interfere with play. But, we love to bring a touch of whimsy to the practical too!
Q: What are your favorite brands, beside Pink Chicken, of course?
A: We do love our Pink Chicken! Our customers look forward to celebrating Pink Chicken Week at the store with us when we launch the new collections. Other favorite brands at The Little House are Florence Eiseman, Billieblush, Johnnie O, Petit Bateau, Bella Bliss, Roberta Roller Rabbit, Anthem of the Ants, Lali Kids, and so many more. It's hard for us not to name them all!
Q: Why kids?
A: Because kids are fun! Kids are fun to dress and they look cute in everything. I have seven grandchildren, so it's a personal endeavor for me.
Q: Tell us about your customers.
A: One of the best things about being a long time local business is that we have generations who have shopped at The Little House. It's such a treat to have great grandmothers and grandmothers shop with us who remember shopping at the original store. Many of the mothers who shop with us now wore clothing from The Little House as they were growing up! We love that we have a loyal following in Kansas City – from those who shop with us often to those who come to us for special occasions or gift purchases. We also enjoy helping customers shop with us from afar. It gives us the chance to do some personal shopping and send some fabulous packages their way!
Q: What is their favorite PC style?
A: It's too hard to choose! We love all of the dresses! They are so wearable and the patterns are fantastic.
Q: What's your favorite thing about being a shop owner?
A: I love getting to see the faces of kids light up when they see something they love or try on something they want. We get the unique opportunity to see children be happy and comfortable in clothes and find a way to express their style and personality. It's also extraordinary to be a part of special moments along the way – from helping someone pick out an outfit to bring a baby home from the hospital, to a dad helping a daughter shop for dress for a father/daughter dance, to a grandmother searching for the perfect gift.
Q: Anything else you want us to know?
A: You've often seen photos of two of our little friends, Lucy and Grace, wearing their favorite Pink Chicken. Lucy is the owner's youngest granddaughter. Lucy's "Pink" and Grace's "Kaki" (these aren't your typical 'grandmas') met in high school and have remained best friends since. Lucy and Grace are five years old and have a special friendship too – probably because it's three generations in the making. They both spend lots of time at The Little House and love to model for us...and they love Pink Chicken!
