Just like clothing for adults, children’s clothing trends also change year-to-year and season-to-season. What doesn’t change, is my desire for high-quality, stylish, designer clothing at a reasonable price. That’s why I was so happy when I saw that Piccolo Penguin Boutique was moving into Birmingham!
From the moment you walk into Piccolo Penguin Boutique, you can’t help but smile over the adorable, stylish clothing and accessories. Even better, is when you look at the prices of the clothes, and you see everything is really affordable! I sat down with the boutique owner, Amanda Schairer, to learn a little more about what makes this store great for area moms.
Tell us a little bit about your background. Why did you decide to open Piccolo Penguin Boutique?
My background is in Engineering, and I worked in the automotive industry prior to staying home with my two daughters for the past four years. I have always shopped a combination of new and resale for my girls and felt that Birmingham really needed a business like this.
The name Piccolo Penguin is so cute, where did it come from?
Piccolo is the name of my Italian Greyhound, but it also means “small” in Italian. My daughter’s favorite toy is a stuffed animal penguin that has become part of the family because it travels everywhere with us.
What sizes of clothing does your store carry?
We carry newborn through size 12, boys and girls.
What brands do you accept for consignment?
Crewcuts, Gap Kids, Baby Gap, Mini Boden, UGG, Bogs, Hunter, Columbia, The North Face, Hanna Andersson, Ivivva, Tucker & Tate, Tea Collection, Abercrombie, Under Armor, Nike, Adidas, Isobella & Chloe, Chaser, Lilly Pulitzer, Patagonia, Peek, RuffleButts, Splendid, Zella, Lands' End, Gymboree, Janie and Jack and more. We will also accept excellent quality Boutique brands.
How does the process of consignment work at your store? What should parents want to do if they want to sell clothing?
The best place to start is at our website, www.piccolopenguin.com. You can find the complete process and instructions, including our consignment agreement. We accept appointments on our website. All clothing should be brought in laying flat in a bin to prevent wrinkles. We do not accept any clothing with stains, holes, or broken pieces. Clothing that we accept will stay in the store for 60 days and the consignor can choose if they would like to pick up at the end or have the items donated.
If people choose to donate the clothing instead of picking it up, what charity do you use?
We donate to Oakland Family Services https://www.oaklandfamilyservices.org/ They are a wonderful organization that helps build brighter futures for local children and families in need.
What brands do you have for new clothing? Tell us a little more about the style of these lines.
We currently carry Deux Par Deux and Out of Print. Deux par Deux is known for its stylish collections, sophisticated cuts, vibrant colors and original patterns. Out of Print is a great company that celebrates childhood classic literature. Each purchase helps to fund literacy programs and book donations to communities in need.
For Fall we are excited to be adding a few more fun brands such as Appaman, Blade and Rose, Ragdoll and Rockets, Noruk, Spudz, and Serendipity. I look for brands with excellent quality, special details and fun styles that both kids and parents enjoy.
What are your top-selling items? What do most people come in looking for?
Our top selling items are definitely shoes and girls’ dresses. A lot of people have been coming in looking for summer clothes since our weather has warmed up. People enjoy finding deals on their favorite brands such as Mini Boden, Matilda Jane and Tea Collection.
What makes this store special? How are you different than other boutiques and other consignment stores?
What sets us apart is our quality. I really scrutinize the clothing that I take in so parents that come in to shop are not having to dig to find the good items, because it is all good!
I love that our store has so many benefits. We are helping the planet by reusing clothing that might otherwise go into a landfill. We are helping parents clean out their closets while earning some cash and we are helping our customers save money. It's really a win-win!
Piccolo Penguin is open, so make time to check it out. The store is located at 2123 Cole Street in Birmingham, MI. For more information:
Phone: 248-792-7167
Email: piccolopenguin@gmail.com
Website: www.piccolopenguin.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/piccolopenguin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/piccolopenguinboutique/
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