Following her entrepreneur mother's success in kids' retail, Piper Twilla opened her boutique four years ago. "I'm always looking for new lines to set myself apart from the department stores," she said. Twilla noted each trade show has its perks, but all tend to be inconveniently scheduled during her busiest times. Although she prefers the intimacy of regional shows, Twilla said she often finds new lines at Chicago's Stylemax, New York's ENK shows and the KIDShow in Las Vegas. "Booth shows are nice because I can view items from the aisle," she commented. "I always like to see the merchandise in person."
Unmoved by "specials," owner Kristin Kohn said she would rather buy with her gut and select brands she has faith in. "I don't allow show promotions to pressure my decisions," she said. "If a promotion is too aggressive, it can have a reverse effect, leaving me feeling [the line is] not selling well at wholesale." Kohn attends the ENK and NYIGF shows in New York as well as any overlapping markets, but she prefers visiting showrooms. "Meeting the designers and owners of the lines we carry is important," she noted. "It's the best way to find out what sets that line apart."
A diverse, unique selection doesn't come easy, said owner Nancy Bradley. "Moms don't want to see their child wearing the exact same outfit as another child," she noted. "But pre-packs limit my ability to add variety." Despite that issue, Bradley said vendors are wisely offering free shipping and percentage-off deals--bonuses she looks for while shopping Chicago's Stylemax and Children's Wear Collective. She also likes getting vendors' catalogs before shows, so she can plan her route.
