GROVE STREET kids

Help Us Help You!

2012-01-31T21:33:00.001-08:00

Once a month, I meet with a group called Business and Balance which is, mainly, a network for professional women entrepreneurs to exchange resources, strategies, and practical business support. The group is also committed to sharing effective tools for finding and maintaining balance in life while running a successful business.

I have found this group to be particularly useful toward that end - finding balance in my life - there are some really wonderful women in this group who run some amazing businesses - everything from Bookkeeping Services to Feng Shui Energy Consultation. I've attended most of the meetings even when I didn't feel that the topic or presentation to be discussed particularly pertained to me or GROVE STREET kids, as I am fond of the socializing part of the evening... but come last month I was unusually tired and not feeling 100%, so I thought I would skip it...

But the tagline to the email introducing the subject of the next meeting read:

"Love/Hate... Groupon? Everybody loves a deal. Except perhaps the retailer who can't afford to just give it away."

"That's me!" I thought to myself and that was as far as I read, as I already knew that this was a meeting not to be missed.

For a few weeks prior, I had received multiple emails from Groupon-like promotions - many of them locally-owned and even "mom-run." As a small-business owner I am inundated with "new and exciting" marketing strategies to extend our reach to potential customers on a weekly if not, daily, basis. So I was excited to go to a presentation that might have some suggestions and/or resources for marketing GROVE STREET kids that could be lest costly, if not down right free.

As it turned it out, it was a presentation by a gentleman starting a new marketing business venture, very similar in concept to Foursquare, which is a location-based social networking website for mobile devices, aka "smartphones." Users "check-in" at venues using a mobile website, text messaging or a device-specific application by selecting from a list of venues the application locates nearby. Each check-in awards the user points and sometimes "badges." Businesses, such as GROVE STREET kids, sometimes offer "Check-In Specials." Ours is that you will receive an additional punch in your Frequent Buyer Card just for checking in.

At any rate, the evening did not turn out to be what I was hoping for, but that was my own fault for not reading the entire email... What it did do was give me pause to think about what exactly I was looking for in terms of promoting my business, that I can advertise for free and does that even exist? Well, certainly on Foursquare it does, but even with 10 million registered users only 10% of those who attended the meeting had even heard of it...

So in the course of figuring this out what I came up with was a way to work with and give back to our community, that will benefit both GSK and it's customers, other than just spending money in our store. It's not a particularly novel idea, but so brilliant in its simplicity that I wish I had done it years ago. We've decided to start a "Giving Back to Schools" campaign for our local preschool and elementary schools. This goes one, if not several, steps beyond the traditional donating of gift certificates to school auctions (which we will continue to do as well), and is about creating relationships within our community that support both the local economy and our children's education.

It's a win-win.

The idea is simple. Schools who register for the program, promote GROVE STREET kids in their community as the place to shop for their kids clothing and shoes. The parents who shop with us let us know that their kids go to "x" school, and we automatically donate a percentage of their purchase back to said school, building a mutually beneficial relationship. It's down right... elementary!

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

2011-12-07T21:07:00.000-08:00

We want to wish all our customers, long time and new, a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa and generally Happy Holidays and best wishes for Peace, Health and Prosperity in 2012!

No one who achieves success does so without the help of others.

2011-11-24T08:50:00.000-08:00

The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude.
–Alfred North Whitehead

As 2011 races to a close, we are, once again, humbled by and thankful for all of our patrons and friends that have supported us through this, our 5th year of business!

With the continued faltering of the economy, we have witnessed more than a few businesses shut their doors and "Space Available" signs appear in empty store front windows. We are grateful for the continued support of our customers and colleagues and recognize that, without it, we could be amongst those ill-fated businesses.

In the coming year, we hope to make some changes that will provide an even better, more satisfying shopping experience for new and loyal customers alike. Yes, we are still considering expansion, but we also hope to implement some policies and/or programs that will provide mutually beneficial results to our partners in the local community, by giving back to it.

So, stay tuned...

And a Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Is staying put... for now.

2011-08-10T22:51:00.001-07:00

GROVE STREET kids has made a decision.

We've been talking to our customers for a while now about the possibility of expansion. The desire to increase our storage capacity as well as offer a broader assortment of maternity wear and baby gear on consignment was well-received by folks and we know that should we have the opportunity to do so, we would receive resounding support from our patrons, family and friends.

Unfortunately, the ducks did not want to line up in that perfect row for us, and expanding into the store front next door will not be happening any time soon. We are very disappointed about the turn of events but, for many reasons, we cannot effectively make the changes we would like to make here.... right now.

We still have hopes of expansion! We want to be the one-stop shop for mommies-to-be and their kids! So stay tuned, we may have more news down the road. Until then, we hope you will continue to show your unwavering support of GROVE STREET kids.

Another Anniversary!

2011-07-20T17:09:00.000-07:00

In these uncertain economic times, we are so grateful to our customers who continue to support us with their patronage and recommendations... it's hard to believe 4 years have come and gone so quickly! As time passes, we have realized that having our own business is not unlike having a new baby, as it starts out small, relishing the moments and milestones as it grows and flourishes!

We have watched GROVE STREET kids do the same and have found our business is demanding expansion to fill the needs of it's customers. We are still in negotiations to try and make GSK twice it's current size where we can offer more maternity and baby gear as well as continuing to offer the largest selection of kid's resale in the area. So we hope you will continue to stand by us and watch us grow!

Arise, then, women of this day!

2011-05-08T11:20:00.001-07:00

One of the early calls to celebrate a Mother's Day in the United States was the "Mother's Day Proclamation" by Julia Ward Howe. Written in 1870, it was a pacifist reaction to the carnage of the American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War. The Proclamation was tied to Howe's feminist belief that women had a responsibility to shape their societies at the political level.

In the years after the Mother's Day Proclamation, Ann Jarvis founded five Mothers' Day Work Clubs to improve sanitary and health conditions for working women. In 1907, two years after Ann Jarvis' death, her daughter Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother and began a campaign to make "Mother's Day" a recognized holiday in the US. Although she was successful in 1914, she was already disappointed with its commercialization by the 1920s. In 1912, Anna Jarvis trademarked the phrases "second Sunday in May" and "Mother's Day", and created the Mother's Day International Association. She was specific about the location of the apostrophe; it was to be a singular possessive, for each family to honour their mother, not a plural possessive commemorating all mothers in the world.*

This year, my family honoured me with breakfast in bed, a necklace hand-picked by my daughter accompanied by, not one, but two Mother's Day cards of her creation. To my surprise, I also received a card from my husband (being that I am not his mother...) in which the card so much as said this and "thanks for taking care of (him) anyway."

From my friends, and supporters of GROVE STREET kids, received the honour of becoming a winner in the StartupNation Leading Moms in Business Competition. I joined the competition late, and so I had no idea where I would fall amongst the ranks of thousands of mom-owned businesses across the country. My only hope was to finish in the top 200... and I did... at 134! In hindsight, it seems a little silly, really. But as most of us moms know, we do and we give and we work hard for ourselves and our families, so when a little recognition comes along for being, not just a great mom, but a great mom in business then, well, I'll take it! It seems only fitting considering what Ms. Howe had in mind...

*source: http://www.wikipedia.org/

To Expand, or To Not Expand, That is THE Question...

2011-03-28T22:38:00.000-07:00

Recently, you may have noticed a hole in the wall.

Well, not literally, but figuratively, there is a hole in the wall. Or, rather, a space. An empty space. A space that once was the Candy Bouquet. When Jack moved his store to another location, we started getting a lot of questions about whether or not we knew if anyone was moving in... then we started getting questions like, "Are you going to move in?

The truth is, we have been thinking for a while about expanding into the space next door. Jack told us last Fall that they would be moving to a new location at the end of the year. And in the interim, we've talked to some of our regular customers about what they'd like to see or, rather, if they'd like to see us expand. The overwhelming response has been "yes!"

So, at once, we are excited and daunted by the possibilities. If we do this thing, what exactly will we do? More kids clothes? More maternity? Used baby gear? What about used toys? And once we decide, how will we do it? Many, many questions to be answered.

Meanwhile, we are working diligently to figure out how to support this endeavor because, although the desire and opportunity has presented itself, the wherewithal to do it has not. So as we peruse our options as to how to get this thing done we appreciate all the feedback we can get! Let us know your thoughts via email from our "Contact Us" link from our website or at the bottom of this blog!

Get Out the Vote!

2011-03-03T07:59:00.000-08:00

It doesn't feel like it's been that long since we were nominated for Best Children's Clothing Store on SFGate.com.
We were honored and humbled by the win, and are ever-grateful for the support of our fans and customers.

But, lo and behold, here we are again... and at the risk of sounding self-aggrandizing, I am posting the link here, in the hopes that the relatively few of you out there that read our blog, will take a few moments to go the link and vote for us. (You have to register with the Baylist to vote, but it's quick and easy and you won't get spam - just don't forget to verify your email or it won't count....)

Should we win this round, we would have the unprecedented honor of being voted the Best Children's Clothing Store three years running. But, more importantly, and the main reason for this shameless self-promotion, is that the business who acquires the most votes, will win $500 to designate to the charity or non-profit organization of their choice. Our choice is an organization that we have been working with for over a year called Loved Twice. You can read more about our relationship with them and their founder, Lisa Klein, here.

So, thanks in advance, for your support of GROVE STREET kids and in our supporting a very worthy cause.

Here comes the sun....

2011-02-02T14:15:00.001-08:00

Here comes the sun do do do do
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's alright.

Little darlin'
It's been a long, cold, lonely winter...

er... has it? Seemingly, no, it hasn't! What's with the 70º weather in January?
Last I checked, it is still winter, isn't it?
I am beginning to think that we are switching hemispheres, after the cold, lonely summer we had last year, and now this...

We've gotten more than a few customers coming in, as a result, looking for warm weather clothing. Short sleeves, shorts, swimsuits... swimsuits? Okay, okay. Those looking for swimsuits in January are preparing for various trips to warmer climates over the upcoming Presidents' Week (otherwise known as Ski Week and for good reason). But more than a few customers have also started bringing in short sleeves, shorts and swimsuits for resale and, whereas, we have started transitioning into buying for Spring (ie lighter layers, Easter dresses, etc.) we are still hoping to see a bit of that cold, maybe not so lonely winter before the end of February. We still have a store full of long-sleeved shirts, long pants and jackets, not to mention ski gear for those last minute shoppers that find the snow-bib that bought last March on sale at REI actually doesn't fit their 5. y.o. that had a growth spirt just last week...

It's That Time of Year...

2011-01-07T09:38:00.000-08:00

Originally published at this same time last year under "Cleaning Out Your Closets?" this post offers our best advice for a successful selling trip to GROVE STREET kids. The first couple weeks of January have proven to be the time we experience most people bringing in items for selling, as opposed to trade and/or buying. As a business, we can only "buy" so much before our budget for the week, let alone the month, is already gone! So please read on, and here's to a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2011 for all!

It's that time of year. Some folks are über organized and get their closets cleared in time for the holidays, in order to make room for all the new stuff to come. Most people wait, however, until after the holidays have past to do it. GROVE STREET kids has been hit hard this week with the fruits of their labor - which is great, it allows us to peruse the gamut of styles, sizes and seasons that make their way through our doors. However, some folks walk away disappointed when they take the time and expend their energy hauling multiple bags and/or boxes and still leave with multiple bags and/or boxes.

So we thought we'd offer some tips for making your selling experience at GROVE STREET kids the most successful, for everyone involved:

1. Check our website first: www.grovestreetkids.com. We do our very best to keep it updated as to the particulars of what season we are looking at and buying, what sizes we are in need of and accepting, and what we are not accepting. In addition, there is helpful information like, our buying hours and our trading and drop-off policies.

2. We wash everything (with the exception of new items with tags still attached) before it is placed on the floor for sale, whether or not you wash it before bringing it in. However, we do not purchase items, purposefully, with stains, tears, missing buttons etc. Items with stains (only) that are of the size and season we are in need of, will be purchased for a $1 selling price. This is because, if we can't get the stain out, we send it straight away to our $1 bins. What this means for you: the better condition your items are in, the better price you will obtain for them.

3. If you decide to bring in your child(ren)'s wardrobe from the age of 2 until 7, you will be asked to drop the items off (be sure and read our drop off policy!), as to allow the buyer to peruse them at her convenience. In addition, you will likely receive a volume price for your items. We simply do not have the capacity to purchase everything from everybody. It is in your best interest to bring in items periodically instead of all at once.

4. Call ahead to make sure the buyer is in. Like most people, and especially people with young children, life's little emergencies sometimes arise and the buyer is not always available at the specified buying times. If you call and you don't get to speak to a live person, please leave a message. It is our policy not to answer the phone whilst we are helping or assisting our customers in the store. If you leave a message, we will call you back.

5. Please don't take the "rejection" of your children's clothing personally! Items are chosen primarily on two factors: supply and demand. We often don't buy certain items of clothing that we personally like, simply because they don't sell. On the flip side we do buy certain items simply because there is the demand for them (can anybody say "sweatpants"?) As a general rule, GROVE STREET kids doesn't buy "character" items, however, there are simply some characters (ie. Hello Kitty or Thomas the Tank Engine) that would just be poor judgement not to buy, as they do sell, in almost any condition.

We hope these tips help you to sort things out and make your selling and/or trading experience at GROVE STREET kids to be the most successful it can be. We certainly do appreciate your business!

What to be for Halloween, A hobo or a bride? A witch or scary goblin, Its not easy to decide.

2010-10-26T21:47:00.003-07:00

Halloween is undoubtedly the favorite time of year at GROVE STREET kids. The windows are particularly fun to decorate and the folks that are drawn in by them are so excited to see what awaits beyond our store front displays. GROVE STREET kids likes to offer a wide range of costumes but, as well, bits and bobs so that the creative soul (pun intended!) has the opportunity to come to life! Here's a look at costumes past, both traditional and unorthodox:

Back in 20 minutes

2010-09-29T07:54:00.001-07:00

Back when my husband and I first opened GROVE STREET kids, there were many days that I wouldn't have a customer for hours at a time in the shop. I used to sit in the back and watch episodes of previous seasons of L O S T so I could be caught up with the current season! Thankfully, those days are long gone and we are so grateful for our steady stream of customers, especially in this continually uncertain economic climate.

Some days are so busy, however, that I can often go without taking any sort of break until long after Buying Hours are over (2pm). Most days I don't actually take a break - I just grab a bite here and there between laundry loads, tagging & steaming, or other such mundane tasks that are a necessity to running my own business. But on those few crazy, chaotic days where I don't get to nibble in between things, I do find it necessary to bring the dollar bins inside, lock the doors and hang my "Back in 20 minutes" sign up so I can take a break and eat my lunch uninterrupted.

I never thought this would be an issue for anyone. In fact, I figured it was commonplace for small businesses. A small business owner, working by him or herself, must need to close up at some point in the day, right - to eat a bite, or use the bathroom? I remember when I first considered renting this store, I went to the only business that was functioning in the building at the time, the Candy Bouquet, to ask the owner, Jack, about renting in this building. But when I arrived, there was a sign on the door saying "Back in 20 mintues." No problem, I thought, I will come back in a half hour or maybe on another day.

So after opening GSK I promptly made our branded version of the sign, adding a "Sorry for the inconvenience!" I don't think I have used this sign more than once a week, if even that, since we opened, and rarely do I take the full twenty minutes says I will be gone. Most of the time it hasn't been an issue. But for some, unfortunately, they make no bones about just how much of inconvenience it's been. And some take it to the extreme and post it on Yelp. But that's another blog. Lol.

Upon my last experience of being handed my head on a platter after closing for 15 minutes one day, I was prompted to ask around (other business owners, primarily) how best to deal with this situation. I realize we are not going to be able to please everyone, all the time, but I certainly don't want our customers leaving our store disgruntled if I can help it. The solution I came up with was to offer a discount to folks who are inconvenienced by arriving at a time when I have temporarily closed. Who doesn't like a discount? So our new "Back in 20 Minutes!" sign has a tear-off coupon that can be redeemed for a same-day discount off their nominal purchase upon their return. I expect that, once word gets out, people will actually look forward to arriving when I have closed to eat my lunch!

Hooked on Chinook

2010-09-21T16:59:00.001-07:00

Chinook?

What the...? Most of you are probably wondering... The Chinook Book is the wonderful, one-of-kind resource for supporting local, sustainable businesses (including yours truly, GROVE STREET kids) formally known to the general public as the EcoMetro Guide.

GSK jumped on the EcoMetro Guide Bandwagon in 2009, just after it's 2008 debut in the Bay Area. Our first exposure to it was when it was brought to our kid's school as a fundraising promotion. Like the Entertainment Books but way better, because these are places you actually already shop at, like GSK.

Chinook Book is a coupon book, a directory, a source of ideas and inspiration. It’s your guide to living well and having fun in the East Bay metro region. You can save hundreds of dollars while exploring the community and supporting those local, sustainable businesses. Over 300 valuable coupons make this the largest book yet. Businesses with coupons include retail, grocery, dining, entertainment, travel, garden and home adding up to savings of over $3,000. All products and services appearing in Chinook Book meet specific environmental and community criteria. We are proud to be one of those businesses. Come by and pick up the 2011 copy today at GROVE STREET kids.

Back to school? But we didn't even have a Summer!

2010-08-05T20:07:00.001-07:00

Really, how can it be time for "Back to School" when summer hasn't even arrived!?

I spent the better part of the Spring collecting bathing suits, shorts and summer dresses, looking so forward to those lovely, sunny days. Especially, after one of the wettest Winters we have seen in a decade. Oh the cute, wonderful summer things that have come into the store! Yet, here they sit on the racks. Why? Because summer never came.

As I walk through the local CVS, the aisles swathed in "Back to School" supplies, I wonder how could it be that time already? The first year GSK opened, I had to buy a giant fan to keep the store cool those first few weeks after opening in July! Yet, this year, not only was there virtually no sun, it was COLD. Windy. Gloomy. Downright depressing. Almost as if we went back in time, back to the Winter that had just past.

So GROVE STREET kids has a store full of summer things, yet we have managed to scoop up a bunch of Fall layers for those of you already preparing your children's wardrobes. We already have a decent selection of FAll outwear, lots of jeans and other essentials to get your kiddos off on the right school start.

But rest assured, when summer finally does come (and it better!) we will still have a variety of warm weather clothes for you to choose from. Cuz on those hot, Indian Summer September days, they will be wanting to wear their shorts!

Loved Twice.

2010-07-07T18:13:00.000-07:00

For the first time in almost 3 years, GROVE STREET kids does not have a huge back-stock of baby clothes. When we first opened, we bought a lot of baby things from our customers only to quickly realize that not so many customers were buying them from us. Was it the pricing? Was it the quality?

It was the quantity. There is so much out there that most folks don't ever need to buy baby things - they're either given as gifts or as hand-me-downs - and the babies grow out of them so fast that they barely even get used. So what to do with them? Sell 'em, that's what. But no, wait. Most resale shops don't buy baby clothes after all. In fact, GSK even stopped looking at baby clothes because folks that brought them in to sell would just donate them to us to be rid of them. Why, just today, I had two separate women come in, each with two large plastic bags packed to overflowing with baby clothes. All the while, another customer who is 8 months pregnant, is shopping. But not for baby things, as she has those already. She's buying for her older child.

So, if we aren't buying them to sell, what do we do with all these baby clothes?

Back in February, I was contacted by a lovely woman, Lisa Klein, a mother of two, who is also the Founder and Executive Director of an organization called Loved Twice. She explained to me the mission of Loved Twice is to supply free baby clothes to underprivileged newborns during their first year of life in the Bay Area. Since 2007, they have delivered over 20,000 pounds of baby clothing to more than 3000 newborns in need. Considering a newborn onesie weighs just over one ounce, this is a significant volume of items that have been saved from landfills and recycled back to our community’s highest need mothers and children. She hoped that GSK would support their endeavors.

Would we?

Since that time, Lisa has picked up the equivalent of 6 large garbage bags of baby clothes, shoes, blankets and whatnot from GSK. It's a win-win situation for everyone.

Recently, Lisa was chosen as one of People Magazine's "All Stars Among Us" for her organization's contribution to the community. You can see her being honored for her achievements at the MLB All-Star Game in Anaheim, airing on FOX at 5pm PST July 13th.

The BayList Best!

2010-06-16T13:02:00.000-07:00

We are, once again, honored and humbled by the support of our family, friends and, most importantly, our customers, who took the time to vote for us on SFGate.com. Here at GROVE STREET kids, we do our best to provide the nicest quality gently used and recycled clothing, combined with excellent customer service, to our community, and our community is showing us that we are on the right track! We know that this is an ongoing process, that we must not assume that we are doing all we need to do, without room for improvement. So the fact that we have now received this honor twice (over the course of three years as there was no contest in 2009) we believe our customers, friends and family understand our desire to continue to make their shopping experience at GROVE STREET kids the best in the Bay Area! Once again, we respectfully thank all of you for your continued support.

Something old, something new...

2010-05-02T20:20:00.000-07:00

Wedding season is upon us. It officially starts, for the bride, Memorial Day weekend. But for the bridal party, the time to shop is now.

Most parents, of course, have been through their own wedding and can testify to the astounding expense that is a wedding. It's a racket, really. Go into any business that sells products, ie flowers, stationery, accessories year round... and mention the words "it's for a wedding..." and watch the price of those products double, even triple. And if you are one of those lucky folks who are asked to be IN a wedding, you know that expense is part of it as well. Buy the Maid of Honor, Bridesmaid or Flower Girl Dress, and not only do you shell out a small fortune for the dress, you are likely to add some more $$ when it's altered... all to wear once, and then what?

Come to GROVE STREET kids that's what. We have a large selection of flower girl dresses befitting everything from the garden wedding to a formal sit down dinner at the Plaza! We also have a selection of boys jackets and pants (even one or two Seersucker suits!) that will work for most weddings, day or night. All for a fraction of the original cost, so you won't feel so badly when your gorgeous girl spills orange juice down the front of that gorgeous white satin gown that you paid $20 for instead of $100!

Open Late on Tuesdays

2010-04-06T10:08:00.000-07:00

To clarify, that doesn't mean "Open til 7 on Tuesdays!" It means, Tuesday is really our Monday, and invariably, we at GROVE STREET kids always manage to underestimate the amount of time it takes to reconcile the events of the past weekend and all the "to dos" that need to be accomplished at the beginning of the work week. So, therefore, we are inevitably running late on Tuesday mornings and, consequently, we almost always Open Late on Tuesdays.

So for those of you who take notice of the consistency, we hope you will bear this fact in mind and head on down around, say... 10:15? We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patronage!

It's an honor just being nominated!

2010-04-02T18:05:00.000-07:00

Every cloud has a silver lining.

It's true. On the heels of a biting negative review on Yelp, I received a phone call from a lovely woman working over at KRON4 Television saying that "GROVE STREET kids has been selected by KRON4's Best of the Bay Television Series as one of the premier "Children's Boutique In the Bay Area." Outstanding! What a way to start the week.

She began to tell me that, as a nominee, GSK would be filmed for a two-minute broadcast segment that would play on their daily show twice a month for up to 15 months, be available for viewing online, and we would be eligible as a contender for the "Best Children's Store in Northern California." WOW. How cool is that?

Now, the fine print. She went onto explain that, of course, having a film production crew come to our store is an expensive undertaking and that we, as the nominee, would be asked to contribute to said cost. Ok. Seems reasonable, it's advertising after all. She said she would send me all the paperwork, with the breakdown of costs, and some sample segments from the program so we could see what we would be doing if we agreed to accept the terms of the agreement.

Well, let us just say, "it's an honor just being nominated!" The costs, unfortunately, would probably put us out of business. So, regrettably, we could not accept the terms of the agreement and you won't see us giving any televised interviews (at least not on KRON4) any time soon. But we hope the kind soul out there that thought well of us and nominated us for the opportunity knows how much we appreciate their support!

To Yelp or Not to Yelp

2010-03-24T09:02:00.000-07:00

By now, most folks have heard about all the controversy surrounding the legitimacy of Yelp and whether or not the folks there try to "extort" business owners by promising removal of negative reviews, top placement in searches for their category, etc. in exchange for paid advertising on the social networking, user review website. Here at GROVE STREET kids we have not been immune to the incessant sales calls (and emails) from their reps, though we will say that, after a long chat with one of their friendlier sales people, he offered to put us on a "Do Not Call" list and we haven't heard from them since.

That particular phone call was a gentleman trying to get GROVE STREET kids to become a "sponsored result." Those are the businesses listed at the top of the review section on a business page that suggest that "You Might Also Consider..." The benefits of which, but not limited to, he explained, were being found in the top 5 of the search results when customers searched for businesses like mine. So, for fun, I asked him to do a search with me for Resale Shops in Berkeley. Not only did GSK come up in the top five, we were the 2nd result (today as I write this, we are the first result). So I thanked him for the call and politely declined the need for paid advertising. He couldn't really argue with me about it and, I think, it was at that point he offered to put me on the "Do Not Call" list.

Like most businesses reviewed on Yelp, we presume, GSK has a love/hate relationship with the contentious website. We love it when folks take time out of their busy lives and schedules to write lovely things about our shop and their shopping experiences. We hate (and I use that word only as a euphemism -it is such a strong word) when our lovely reviews go away. We actually have 18 reviews, not 11 as is shown. The website claims that "[t]he review may have been suppressed by Yelp's automated software system. This system decides how established a particular reviewer is and whether a review will be shown based on the reviewer's involvement on Yelp. While this may seem unfair to you, this system is designed to protect both consumers and businesses alike from fake reviews (i.e., a malicious review from a competitor or a planted review from an employee). The process is entirely automated to avoid human bias, and it affects both positive and negative reviews. It's important to note that these reviews are not deleted (they are always shown on the reviewer's public profile) and may reappear on your business page in the future."

It is true, they do "stay" in cyberspace. Another thing we like about Yelp is the ability to bookmark the reviews so that folks can see them all, even when not posted on our page. We've place an "Announcement" (yet another thing we like) that supplies the link on the Yelp page for our customers to peruse.

Part of the controversy about Yelp stems from the idea that Business Owners don't like having bad reviews and want them removed and are told they will be removed if they become a "sponsored result" advertiser. Of course, no business really wants a bad review, and we will admit to feeling like we were raked over the coals after our first less than stellar review, which we received a few months ago. In a panic response to seeing our brightly 5-star rating dwindle down to 4.5 (gasp!) stars, we called upon some of our favorite customers to write honest reviews in the hopes of bringing our average back up. Two more folks spoke up (but one has "disappeared") and, coincidentally, Yelp "pulled" the bad review at the same time, and our glowing 5-star rating returned.

Our viewpoint now, however, is that negative reviews actually provide some legitimacy to the many positive reviews previously posted. No business is ever going to be able to please all of the people, all of the time. But we feel that the way in which a review is worded or written speaks for itself as to the authenticity of it's reviewer. The aforementioned review, which in hindsight we should have bookmarked as well - but who wants to keep track of negative stuff? - was all about a person's observation of another customer's experience, not even their own.

Recently, yesterday, to be exact, an "unsatisfied" customer, took the time to write a not-so-pleasant-and-would-have-left-no-stars-if-they-could-have review about our business. No, we did not bookmark it, as it is still on the Yelp sight. Upon first reading it, my first thought, of course, was to respond to it (another "plus" for Yelp - Business Owners are allowed to publicly "respond" to reviews), to apologize for her negative experience. But, then I thought to myself, if I were looking at a business review page myself and came across one scathing review amongst many positive ones, what would I do?

So I proceeded to read the other reviews that this person posted which, coincidentally, included of all the other resale shops in the area. They were all bad, save one. At that point, I figured, if folks are going to take the time to find out about us on Yelp then they are going to go through the same process I just mentioned, and would "read" exactly what I did. And, interestingly enough, some folks came into the store yesterday for the first time and mentioned that they read about us on Yelp. The woman in the couple said she doesn't even look at the "sponsored results" because she knows they are "paid for." She said she only goes by the reviews, good and bad, that people leave, and you can tell which ones are legitimate. All this before we even saw the latest review.

Finally, we'd like to say that we believe that Yelp offers a beneficial service to the community, even if not entirely on the up and up (the jury's still out on that one). And, at this point, we at GROVE STREET kids would just like to take the opportunity to, again, thank all those people who have taken the time to spread the good word about us. We greatly appreciate your patronage!

Honesty is the best policy.

2010-03-13T09:40:00.000-08:00

I love meeting new people everyday. I love talking to folks. I love seeing my regular, neighborhood families come in and tell me how much they enjoying shopping at GROVE STREET kids. These are just some of the many pleasures I derive from running my own business.

Some of the things I don't love are picking up after someone else's kids or finding unwrapped or damaged merchandise after the the customer has left. But for a small business, especially a retail business, these things are part and parcel of running a store that caters to kids and their families.

One thing that I dread dealing with, and have yet to actually confront someone about, is shoplifting. I know it's happened, in one form or another: tag-switching, returned items that have been used and claimed not to be, or just down-right walking off with something without paying for it. I've never actually seen it happen at GROVE STREET kids, and even if I were to, I'm not sure how I would handle it. Can you imagine having to walk up to a five or six year old child, after seeing him or her surreptitiously putting a little toy or purse I have for sale in his or her pocket and saying "I'm sorry, honey, but before you can take that home, Mommy or Daddy has to pay for it." Frankly, I hope that day never comes.

So imagine my surprise when, upon my arrival to work this morning, I opened the front door to find a little leather bracelet that I sell on the floor, next to an envelope with the words "I'm Srreey" scribbled in a child's hand on it; obviously dropped through the mail slot by the "culprit's" parent. It took just a moment for me to realize what had happened and, upon closer inspection, I noticed the envelope was actually sealed. I opened it to find a lovely drawing of rainbows and sunshine on one side of the paper,
and a letter of admission of guilt and an apology
on the other.

It read, roughly: "Dear Store. I stole this bracelet yesterday. I'm Sorry."

It was very clear to me that this child probably had no idea that what he or she did was wrong- "what does 'stole' mean, mommy?" Or maybe s/he didn't know just how wrong it was. Who knows? S/he simply saw something that sparked his or her interest and helped themselves. What warmed my heart about it, aside from the hearts and the butterflies, was that the parent saw fit to recognize that the misdeed had to be corrected and had the child not only return the bracelet, but apologize for taking it. I'm certain the child learned a valuable lesson. But what is more important, in my view, was the example that was set. In my business, it just doesn't happen enough.

Cleaning out your closets?

2010-01-07T15:27:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year. Some folks are über organized and get their closets cleared in time for the holidays, in order to make room for all the new stuff to come. Most people wait, however, until after the holidays have past to do it. GROVE STREET kids has been hit hard this week with the fruits of their labor - which is great, it allows us to peruse the gamut of styles, sizes and seasons that make their way through our doors. However, some folks walk away disappointed when they take the time and expend their energy hauling multiple bags and/or boxes and still leave with multiple bags and/or boxes.

So we thought we'd offer some tips for making your selling experience at GROVE STREET kids the most successful, for everyone involved:

1. Check our website first: www.grovestreetkids.com. We do our very best to keep it updated as to the particulars of what season we are looking at and buying, what sizes we are in need of and accepting, and what we are not accepting. In addition, there is helpful information like, our buying hours and our trading and drop-off policies.

2. We wash everything (with the exception of new items with tags still attached) before it is placed on the floor for sale, whether or not you wash it before bringing it in. However, we do not purchase items, purposefully, with stains, tears, missing buttons etc. Items with stains (only) that are of the size and season we are in need of, will be purchased for a $1 selling price. This is because, if we can't get the stain out, we send it straight away to our $1 rack or bins. What this means for you: the better condition your items are in, the better price you will obtain for them.

3. If you decide to bring in your child(ren)'s wardrobe from the age of 2 until 7, you will be asked to drop the items off (be sure and read our drop off policy!), as to allow the buyer to peruse them at her convenience. In addition, you will likely receive a volume price for your items. We simply do not have the capacity to purchase everything from everybody. It is in your best interest to bring in items periodically instead of all at once.

4. Call ahead to make sure the buyer is in. Like most people, and especially people with young children, life's little emergencies sometimes arise and the buyer is not always available at the specified buying times. If you call and you don't get to speak to a live person, please leave a message. It is our policy not to answer the phone whilst we are helping or assisting our customers in the store. If you leave a message, we will call you back.

5. Please don't take the "rejection" of your children's clothing personally! Items are chosen primarily on two factors: supply and demand. We often don't buy certain items of clothing that we personally like, simply because they don't sell. On the flip side we do buy certain items simply because there is the demand for them (can anybody say "sweatpants"?) As a general rule, GROVE STREET kids doesn't buy "character" items, however, there are simply some characters (ie. Hello Kitty or Thomas the Tank Engine) that would just be poor judgement not to buy, as they do sell, in almost any condition.

We hope these tips help you to sort things out and make your selling and/or trading experience at GROVE STREET kids to be the most successful it can be. We certainly do appreciate your business!

GSK is giving thanks.

2009-11-26T08:25:00.000-08:00

In retail, the holiday season can prove to be stressful and hectic to say the least. In years past, I have had a difficult time wrapping my head around the notion that people are already Christmas shopping when Halloween costumes are still on the racks. And usually, I have waited until "Black Friday," on which we have always been closed, to change the windows out and decorate for Christmas. This year, however, I didn't wait, and Christmas is already up and sparkling throughout GROVE STREET kids.

So why is this year different? I wish I knew the answer to that, but for the last couple of months, GROVE STREET kids has been so busy that waiting just wouldn't have been prudent. And for this, we are so thankful! In these challenging economic times, GROVE STREET kids feels exceedingly fortunate that our business is growing and flourishing. Honestly, there is a part of me that is waiting for the other shoe to drop... that it's going to slow down. But for now, at least, let us just send abundant thanks to all of our customers and friends that have helped make the last year one to be grateful for. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Donations... where do they go?

2009-10-25T16:31:00.001-07:00

A lot of folks ask us where we make our donations to when they come into the store. In the past, GROVE STREET kids has donated to national organizations such as Goodwill and The Salvation Army but also local organizations such as A Safe Place (Domestic Violence Services) in Oakland and Harrison House, a shelter right here in Berkeley. GSK also accepts requests for shelters and/or organizations of their customers' choice.

Recently, with the combined efforts of our neighbors at Positive Motion Training Studio, Grove Street Kids was able to send a large amount of used clothing and shoes to the children and families of AHOPE Ethiopia, extending their efforts internationally. Positive Motion's co-owner Laura Lambert delivered the items personally.

AHOPE is a non-profit organization that helps the orphan children of Ethiopia, with an emphasis of helping children living with the HIV-virus.

We received a letter from the director of AHOPE thanking us for our donations. We are at once pleased and humbled at the opportunity to be a service to this wonderful organization.

Introducing... oishii

2009-10-04T13:35:00.000-07:00

GROVE STREET kids is pleased to announce the latest addition to our family....oishii modern knits. Beautifully hand crafted knit caps for babies on up are now available in our store. Hand-knit with 100% natural fibers (cotton, modal, wool) by designer Erika Kemp and her team right here in Berkeley. Come check out our selection. Don't see what you like? We can special order!

Previously available at the former O Baby Baby and Waddle & Swaddle, oishii (meaning "delcious" in japanese) designer and owner Erika Kemp makes beautiful, oh so soft baby hats, blankets and ponchos. She also does custom orders in colors and yarns that you can choose from, in the combination you would like.

We are very excited about this new partnership, and hope that you will be too!

Back to... Ghoul?

2009-09-17T19:16:00.000-07:00

Is it just me, or are the seasons out of order this year? It seemed like all summer long, it was winter, and now that fall is vast approaching, we are now having the summer sun and heat! I guess that's why us locals refer to this time of year as "Indian Summer" or the "Dog Days" of summer. But because of our particularly cold, actual summer having been so long, I'm just now starting to get used to the warmth and sunshine, yet people are coming into the store requesting... Halloween Costumes!

Rest assured, GROVE STREET kids will have a great selection of used and new Halloween Costumes. Everything from Fairies and Firemen to Pirates and Pixies. Superheroes. Goblins and Ghouls.

Truth be told, Halloween is one of my favorite occasions to celebrate and I love decorating the windows for it. Check out our slide show to see Ghouls and Goblins Past. But for now, we'd like to let our customers know that the costumes are coming... we'd just like to soak up a little more sunshine first. Look for costumes on the racks by the end of next week, and in the windows the first week of October.

Back to school.... already?

2009-07-19T09:46:00.000-07:00

GROVE STREET kids just celebrated having opened our doors 2 years ago (July 18, 2007). My how time flies! It seems like just yesterday that I was collecting inventory from all my parent friends to have something to put on those racks! Well, there's no shortage now, and GROVE STREET kids is ready for "Back to School." And we have recently updated the store to make your shopping experience more convenient and enjoyable. Come check it out!

Ms. Independent

2009-06-30T21:39:00.001-07:00

In July we celebrate the independence of our nation. It can also be a time when we celebrate the independence of our economy and the terrific independent businesses that make our community unique.

When we shop at Berkeley Independents, we support the notion of taxation with representation ... Our sales tax dollars get routed to our municipal government where democracy is acted out at the grass roots. And we get the pleasure of a personal relationship with the folks who provide us with the products and services we rely on.

So, when you shop with Berkeley independent businesses, you cast a vote for your home town -- and declare your independence from cookie cutter consumerism.

Buy Local Berkeley challenges you to meet all of your needs from July 1st through 7th exclusively at locally owned, independent Berkeley businesses. The Berkeley City Council Proclaimed the first week of July Independents Week and joined towns across the country to celebrate the local, independent businesses that make our communities unique. Each of the 9 City Council members has also personally taken the pledge to shop local Berkeley for the week.

For every $100 dollars we spend at local independents, $68 of that money gets spent again right here in our region. That's 58% more money added to our region than when you spend at a national chain.
All these numbers mean that when we buy from cool, indie businesses we are helping our friends and neighbors keep their jobs and nurturing our local economy. So, in honor of July 4th, let's Celebrate our Independents!

Should we stay or should we go?

2009-05-28T23:29:00.000-07:00

Some of you may already know that GROVE STREET kids was considering a move to a busier (not necessarily better) location. Due to the state of the economy, we had become aware that rents were coming down, and we could afford to be in a location that would provide more foot traffic and more visibility to us. We were very close to signing a new lease but, after negotiations with our current landlord, amongst other things, we have decided to stay where we are. Our landlords are actually really great (which is worth a lot we have found), we have a new neighbor coming in at the former games store location (a hair salon) and we expect our little business district on"Grove Street" to be bustling. We are very excited!

In other news, we must say "à bientôt" to our beloved Emmanuelle, who will be leaving us for the summer holiday in Switzlerland! Nous sommes si triste de la voir aller! But she is welcome back upon her return bien sûr.

Meanwhile, you will see some new faces, welcome aboard Lizette! And hopefully you will see our soon-to-be graduated daughter, Bailey, spending some time at the store before she starts school in the fall.

We do expect to close temporarily in July for a week or so to give the store some revitalization in anticipation of our 2 year Anniversary. So stay tuned for details and upcoming promotion of our "Grand Reopening."

What does it mean to be Green?

2009-04-23T18:53:00.000-07:00

I wish I had made this post yesterday, as it would have been apropos of Earth Day, but better late I suppose. We are very excited, regardless, about our Green Business Certification.

So what does it mean to be Green? Well, after submitting the application and filling out extensive questionnaires about our business practices, it ultimately means that we meet or exceed all the stringent guidelines proposed by the County of Alameda for waste management and recycling, that we comply with all environmental regulations, and take steps to conserve natural resources, prevent pollution and reduce waste.

We had inspections by PG&E, EBMUD and the City of Berkeley. Some of our practices include using environmentally-friendly cleaning products, use energy-efficient lighting and use practices (ie.timers), and use supply vendors that reduce waste in their packaging whenever possible, to name a few. We passed all of our inspections with flying colors!

Goodness, it feels good to be Green!

'Tis the Season...

2009-03-06T11:25:00.000-08:00

....for stomach flu. And for some reason, I think the flu shot that I get faithfully every fall doesn't apply. And if you have small children in the house forget about it. My younger daughter, Olivia, came down with a cold, not last weekend but the weekend before. Trooper that she is, she went about her days doing what she normally does, with a roll of TP in tow for her incessantly running nose. She seemed fine, otherwise. Three days later, it hit me. It was bad enough that I had to close the store for half a day last Friday. By Monday, all was well. Or so I thought. In the middle of that night (now Tuesday, 3 am) Olivia woke up screaming and crying, having vomited all over her bed. Enter, stomach flu. She stayed at home that day, as did I with her. I called the advice nurse at her doctor's... not knowing exactly how to treat Olivia, because she's never been ill with anything the vomiting was the only symptom... no fever, no cough. She told me, "Oh yes, we are seeing a lot of this - it's definitely going around." And then, "there's nothing you can really do but let it run it's course." "Have her drink small amounts of clear liquids, stay away from milk products, if she's hungry, let her have crackers, chicken soup, etc." Ok, I said, ready to hang up, just before she added, "Be careful, it's terribly contagious."

Great.

So with that I went back to work on Wednesday, feeling fine and that I had escaped it. But alas, Wednesday night I found myself in the same position or positions, if you will, as my daughter was 2 days before me. I was panicked about it as well as, being diabetic, my immune system is already compromised. And when I get any illness involving regurgitation, I inevitably end up in the hospital.

This time, I am happy to report, that I seemed to have avoided it, the hospital that is, and will hopefully be back to work tomorrow, Saturday. I just wanted to let our customers know what was happening so they would understand why the store was seemingly open one day, and then not the next. I do have some help at the store, but unfortunately, the wonderful Emmanuelle has sick children of her own to contend with. As I said, 'Tis the season!

But we do sincerely apologize for any inconvenience to our customers, and greatly appreciate their patronage!

Self Stimulation

2009-01-30T09:51:00.001-08:00

I don't have time to read much anymore, what with running a business, taking care of my family, and washing 12-18 loads of laundry each week. Not to mention that, with the internet, I don't have to pick up a newspaper to get the latest news, classifieds or movie reviews. I do, however, like to peruse the East Bay Monthly magazine/newspaper that gets delivered to GROVE STREET kids, especially since the editor (at that time) is a customer at our store, and did us the lovely favor of sending one of her staff writers over to do a little article about us in their Shop Talk section. (10/07)

This month's issue has a letter from the publisher, Karen Klaber, on the back. It's entitled "Buy Local • Stay Local • Be East Bay" and is all about the benefits of shopping locally. Now, I don't think I've ever claimed to be particularly savvy when it comes to running and/or owning a business. My background is in Design, after all. When I opened GROVE STREET kids, I didn't have a business plan with lots of data or figures to tell me why it would be a good business venture. I couldn't begin to tell you what percentage of my gross (or is it my net?) profit should be reinvested in the infrastructure. Nor did I compare the quarterly forecasts for the children's retail industry to determine the net (or is it the gross?) profit and loss statements... what the??? I, basically, just believed in my gut that it was a good move to make. Just like in my mind, I just know it's a good idea to support and patronize our local community's small businesses. And today, in Ms. Klaber's letter, I read some facts and figures as to why it's such a good idea.

There's a lot of talk these days of an "economic stimulus." As the Buy Local Berkeley campaign explains, where you spend your money determines just how stimulating it is. For every $100 you spend, $68 of it stays in our local community. That means 58% more of your money gets spent again right here in our region. Now you are helping your friends and neighbors keep their jobs. You're helping the environment by conserving fuel. You are conserving tax dollars because local sales taxes are reinvested into the community. You are a walking, talking stimulus package! You are self-stimulating.

For more detailed information on how to"self-stimulate" and why it's good for you and our local community, visit www.buylocalberkeley.com.

U-S-C-P-S-C Spells Relief...

2009-01-09T11:52:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission declared yesterday that resellers and consignment store owners are not required to certify that used products meet the new lead limits, phthalates standard or new toy standards. That IS good news, in that we will not be committing a felony if we continue to operate GROVE STREET kids.

Now having written that statement, which sounds a bit disheartening - as if we don't care about the safety of children's products - we want to assure our customers that we absolutely care and all the toys and gifts that we purchase directly from manufacturers have been tested and certified. Used clothing and shoes, of course, are a different story, and we cannot absolutely guarantee that all textiles and components of these items are 100% lead-free. From a business standpoint it just doesn't make sense to be required to test used garments - the cost of testing and certification far exceeds the cost of the garment itself! Which is why there was such a concern that resale and consignment stores across the nation would be forced to close their doors. Not to mention the loss of revenue from children's items sold at bigger companies like Salvation Army or The Good Will.

I think we have set a good precedent for the quality of merchandise we will accept for resale here at GROVE STREET kids. But, rest assured, we are conscious of the new law taking effect in February and would never want to sell anything, be it clothing, shoes or toys that would put any child at risk or in danger.

Out with the Old, Out with it All?

2009-01-07T12:04:00.000-08:00

On January 1st, I had started a post entitled..."Out with Old, In with the New-to-You!" excited at the prospect of a New Year in Resale Children's clothing. Then, last night, I received an email from a good friend simply stating... "Is this for real?? What are you going to do?" She had sent me a link to a blog that basically states that due to a new law, the Consumer Product Safety Act, the possibility is very real that consignment and resale shops, like GROVE STREET kids could be forced to shut their doors.

This law, while well-intentioned, is fatally flawed. This law requires that all products (including clothing) sold for children ages 12 and under, be tested for lead and other toxic chemicals. Anything that hasn't been tested will be considered hazardous (even if they don't contain the chemicals) and cannot be sold. Not on eBay, not in a garage sale, not at GROVE STREET kids.

In addition, this law requires expensive testing and certification for every handmade item for children. Small crafters, handmade items (even made out of certified organic materials) will have to be tested in order to be sold legally. The phthalates testing is only required on products manufactured after the act goes into effect on February 10, 2009, but the lead testing is required on all children's products already made, and therefore would force us to throw out our entire inventory, because as resale store owners, it's certainly not worth the cost of testing each garment or product we sell.

That's not all. This law will require testing on EVERYTHING that comes into contact with your child that is 12 years or under. This includes clothing, of course, shoes, bedding, backpacks, sippy cups, car seats. I don't think I need to go on with the list, for you to understand the impact of such a poorly written piece of legislature.

So what can be done? We need to get the word out to our Legislators. There are two links you can go to to petition this law.
The first is Change.org where you can vote to petition this law. The second is the American Apparel and Footwear Association where you can write directly to your Representative, Congressperson or Senator.

On a final note, I have no plans to shut my doors on February 10th. I think something must change regarding this legislation if for no other reason than it goes against every platform President-Elect Obama stands on. So, until I'm told differently, at GROVE STREET kids, it's out with the old, and in with the new-to-you!

Reduce, Reuse, Resale!

2008-12-06T09:46:00.000-08:00

A couple of days ago, I had the opportunity to stop into the newest addition to the Resale/Consignment Community in Berkeley. Urbanity Style Sharing at the top of Solano Avenue in North Berkeley is a fabulous new place for women to buy new and gently used clothing at very reasonable prices. Not unlike GROVE STREET kids (I've been told), Urbanity has a unique presentation that gives the impression of a more expensive, higher end boutique. The attention to detail, the organization and the aesthetic all lend themselves to one thinking, upon first glance, "Should I go in there? It looks really expensive..."

Well, the sale rack in front seems to answer that question. "Everything $15." While perusing the goods on the outside, from the inside Angela, the owner waved to me. So friendly. I like this place. Once inside, I got to take a really good look. Not unlike GSK, they use wooden hangers to display their garments, and clothing is arranged by color in each size group. (And the prices are extremely reasonable.) It's these subtleties that really make the difference in a presentation. In a review I read somewhere, the author wrote that Urbanity reminded them of an upscale New York Boutique. I would agree, it is urban, but what is missing from this place is the pretentious attitude that usually comes with the boutiques in NYC (after living there for 5 years myself, I have had a few experiences with this). Angela and, the manager, Rebecca are both warm, welcoming, lovely women.

If you read the reviews about this store, and one of my other favorite women's consignment stores, Sola Lucy, those that don't like them (and there aren't many) usually refer to these stores as catering to an older clientele. My guess is that these reviewers, whom usually have a couple hundred reviews under their profile, are young ladies that neither have children or families and have not yet learned the value of time and precious resources. I like to think that both places cater to a mature customer (of any age really) that appreciates women's style, needs, and a good deal.

I have a limited amount of time to shop for myself these days and, with that I know I'm going to go to places like Urbanity and Sola Lucy that appreciate the kind of customer I am.

Don't Judge a Book By It's Cover

2008-11-13T08:15:00.000-08:00

"These Clothes Are Used?" "This is a resale store?" or "You're consignment?" and my personal favorite, "I've been driving by for months, thinking you were an expensive Children's Boutique..." are statements that I hear on a regular basis from our first-time customers. "The windows always look so nice, I thought the clothing would be expensive."

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining! I'm very happy to hear from our customers that they are impressed by how our windows are displayed, and that they are pleasantly surprised to find out we are Resale. Someone once referred to us as a "second-hand boutique" and I have to admit I like the ring to that.

Frankly, it never occurred to me that dressing the windows the way that we do would make people think that we were not a resale store. My background is such that I have several (more than I care to admit) years experience in visual merchandising and design, and so presentation is very important to me. I grew up remodeling houses that my parents bought and sold (long before "flipping" became the thing to do), so interiors became significant to me at an early age. In addition, I worked at IKEA as an Interior Designer for 5+ years, and before that did the window displays for a now defunct clothing company in New York City.

In the midst of all that, I graduated from Parsons School of Design with a degree in Fashion Design. I thought at some point I would be the next Donna Karan or Badgley Mischka (well one of them, at least... did you see them on Ugly Betty last week? Fabulous designers, horrible actors...). I worked in the industry for a while, but it's not well suited to women who want families too. But I digress. The point is... with GROVE STREET kids, I was able to combine my interests and my experience. When GSK first opened, I thought it would be an avenue to create my own children's line... and though I haven't ruled it out, I find that that our customers prefer "recycled" clothing. It just makes good sense... for of the economy, for the environment, for the community.

At any rate, I wanted to make the store a pleasant place to shop for customers while still offering good value. I like themes. Maybe because they require organization. And they make a good presentation, of course. If you take a good look at the slideshow to the left, you can get a good idea of what our themes have been, and maybe why people feel as they do about our store. Currently, the theme in our windows is "Fall." Before that, it was "Halloween." Up next? Christmas, of course. I have a hard time putting together displays for one holiday before another has past though. So if you are looking for a lovely Christmas dress for your little one, don't let the windows dissuade you (again). We have plenty inside. And it doesn't cost anything to come in and take a look!

What's in a name?

2008-11-01T22:30:00.000-07:00

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

True, but I just didn't think "Martin Luther King Jr. Way Kids" had the same ring to it.

I am often asked by my customers "Why is it (the store) called GROVE STREET kids?" The short answer is that the street our store is on, now Martin Luther King Jr. Way, used to be named "Grove Street." Some history:

"Just before his assassination, King had proposed an economic bill of rights for the disadvantaged. Then, as now, the country was engaged in an expensive foreign war, spending money that King felt should be spent on social programs.

During the 1980s, activists and community leaders were concerned whether the civil rights gains achieved two decades earlier would last. Renaming streets after King helped to honor his legacy.

Berkeley changed Grove Street to King in 1984, and Oakland followed suit months later. The street starts at Oakland's windswept waterfront and ends in a few up-scale shops in residential North Berkeley."

For me, the naming of our store was a little more personal but, as to not bore you with all the anecdotes of my childhood, I will just briefly tell you that as a kid in Berkeley, I have fond memories of walking down Rose Street after school to the corner market aptly named "Rose and Grove Market." It's still there, by the way, across the street from the bustling FAT APPLE's Restaurant. Down the street is The Grove Antiques and several other "Grove" Businesses still remain on the 6 mile long boulevard. Even the construction site where the new Trader Joe's is being built at MLK and University has "The Old Grove" written on their signage.

Certainly I mean no disrespect to the great man who was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. But I am a nostalgic, romantic, sentimental sort of a girl, and it only seemed apropos to name the store after the street that I remembered from when I was a kid.

Trick or Treat

2008-10-27T23:33:00.000-07:00

No matter what your age, the last night of October is always one to look forward to celebrating. Halloween means kids running around in costumes, family and friends getting together and a chance talk with neighbors. What other holiday do you have an excuse to eat all the sugar you want and wear whatever you want? But Halloween wasn’t always the same celebration we experience today. In fact, Halloween’s origins date back thousands of years to the ancient Celtic festival called Samhain, pronounced sow-in.

The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is the present day United Kingdom, Ireland and northern France, celebrated Samhain as their new year on November 1. This time marked the end of summer and harvest period and the beginning of the winter, which is a cold and dark time in this region of the world. The Celts associated the season with death and believed that on the night before Samhain the boundary between the living and the dead was distorted.

The Celts celebrated the night of October 31 when ghosts of the dead where believed to return to earth causing trouble and damaging the community’s food supply. The Celts observed the event by burning crops and sacrificing animals to the Celtic Gods in bonfires built by the Druids. They wore costumes, typically of animal skins and heads, to tell each others’ fortunes. And when the celebration was over, the Celts lit their hearth fires from the sacred bonfire to protect them during the coming months.

Romans soon conquered the territory occupied by the Celts and ruled over the land for 400 years. Over the course of time, two Roman festivals were combined with Samhain. One was called Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans commemorated the passing of the dead. The second honored Pomona, the Roman Goddess of fruit and trees. Pomona’s symbol is the apple and was incorporated into the celebration of Samhain. This probably explains the modern day tradition of bobbing for apples, practiced on Halloween.

The Christian influence spread into the Celtic lands by the year 800. About this time, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 as All Saint’s Day as a time to honor saints and martyrs. Current belief is that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also referred to as All-hallows or All-Hallowmas, which was Middle English for All Saints' Day. Eventually, the night before it began to be called All-hallows Eve and then Halloween. In the year 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls’ Day to honor the dead. The holiday was celebrated similarly to Samhain with bonfires, parades and costumes such as angels, saints and devils. Together, the three celebrations became known as Hallowmas.

As European immigrants came to America, they brought their varied Halloween customs with them. But because of rigid Protestant beliefs in early New England, the celebration of the holiday was limited. The beliefs of various European ethnic groups and the American Indians also began to mesh with the celebration of Halloween and an American version began to materialize. The first American celebrations included public events held to celebrate the harvest. Neighbors would share stories of the deceased, tell fortunes, dance and sing. Colonial Halloween celebrations featured ghost stories and mischief. By the middle of the nineteenth century, autumn festivals were common but Halloween had not reached the entire country.

Immigrants flooded America in the second half of the 1800s, especially Irish immigrants fleeing their country’s potato famine who popularized Halloween nationally. Taking from both Irish and English traditions, Americans began to dress up in halloween costumes, which has European and Celtic roots. These cultures believed they could avoid being recognized by the ghosts that came out on the night of Samhain by wearing masks. They would also place bowls of food outside their homes to satisfy the ghosts and prevent them from entering the home, which could be where trick-or-treating originated. Other sources point to beggars in Ireland who made their rounds to homes of the rich to ask for money and food. They would threaten them with “evil spirits” if they did not give.

By the 1920s and 30s, Halloween had become completely community-centered with parades and parties for the whole town. Vandalism also began to disrupt Halloween celebrations. That trend slowed in the 1950s and the holiday began to focus on the young due to the baby boom of the time. Trick-or-treating was revived as a way for the community to celebrate and a new American tradition was born. Today, Americans spend an estimated $6.9 billion annually on Halloween, making it the country's second largest commercial holiday. GROVE STREET kids has a wonderful selection of new and gently used costumes for just the occasion!

Happy Birthday, Mom

2008-10-24T17:26:00.000-07:00

Today is my mother's birthday. Some years are harder than others since she's been gone. We would celebrate our birthdays together since they are only 3 days apart. This year, today has been difficult. But the other day, on my birthday, one of my frequent customers, Judy, came into the store. She's so frequent that we have developed a friendship and sometimes she acts as my therapist. We talked about how my mother was my age when I was born (and today, she would be twice as old as I am, so see if you can figure out the equation!) and said "I'm sure your mom would be proud of you," with regards to my starting this business. It made that day a little bit easier.

I am proud of our store. In case you hadn't heard, we were recently voted "Best Children's Store" on SFgate.com. A pretty nice birthday present. For both of us.

A Store is Born

2008-10-23T22:21:00.000-07:00

Inspired by my fellow "mom-preneur," Mae Chan Frey of Ruby's Garden, I have decided to give this Blogger thing a shot. I had heard of blogging, even read a few blogs, but never really contributed to one. Frankly, I don't know if it will be of any interest to anyone, but what have I got to lose? Only time, I guess.

Grove Street Kids opened 15 months ago, on my step-daughter, Bailey's birthday, July 18th, 2007. I really owe her a lot of credit for getting the idea to open the store in the first place. The fact is, she is a teenager, and I was working from home at the time, and getting way too caught up in her life and the time she was spending on MySpace. One day back in May, I found myself spending way too much time scouring through her "friend's comments" looking for any hidden meaning or insight into what was going on with her and, ultimately, decided that I really needed to "get a life" of my own!

Not long after that, Charlie, my husband, Bailey and Olivia, our youngest, and I were walking up MLK from Virginia Street (we live only four short blocks away from GSK - what a commute!) on our way to breakfast at Fat Apples. We had passed a vacant store front on that block on this day, and many times over the previous year, and I got to wondering. Fantasizing, really. "Wouldn't it be great to have my own store?" Charlie and I had spoken many times over the years about having our own business. We had talked about opening a shop that carried only hand-made items. But I had secretly wanted my own resale shop for years. I had even started collecting the clothes when Olivia was an infant, but the overhead of a store front scared me. So I eventually sold all those on-line which I thought might actually be the way to go but, alas, I needed human interaction. Conversation. A store!

So, I thought, "That place has been empty for a long time. Maybe the rent's outrageous, and I can bargain the Landlord down. "What does it hurt to call? So, I called. The rent wasn't outrageous. It wasn't cheap, but it wasn't outrageous. John, the Landlord, was actually very reasonable about it. But picky. He didn't want just anyone in there. Hence, the long vacancy. Anyway, after seeing the space, talking it out with the DH, negotiating the terms, I found myself signing a lease on May 16th (my parents' anniversary). It happened that fast.

A lot of people ask me, when they come into our store, "How long did it take to put it together?" "Was it hard to do?" and questions of the like. If I had had too much time to think about it, it might not have happened, truth be told. I had no business plan. No data. No statistics. Just a fantasy, a desire to get back out there, and the hope and belief that I could make it all work. And the fantastic support of my friends and family. Especially that.

Well, over a year and a half later, I'm still figuring it out and, like my friend, Mae, learning to run a store by running a store (sorry, to steal your line Mae, but it's a great one!), whilst balancing home and family and trying to get a little sleep somewhere in between!