x

Mix Master

At Wild Plains in Leawood, KS, an excellent brand assortment and meticulous visual merchandising is spelling success.

When Wild Plains owner Kristie Pettibone had her now 4-year-old son, she was disappointed by the lack of cute boy clothes available in her area. “There were only a couple of kids’ stores in Kansas City,” she remembers, adding, “They were either really fancy…or Target.” Pettibone saw a hole in the market for that in-between offering: everyday, adorable clothes for kids that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional.

She put her background in graphic design and visual merchandising — Pettibone ran a business designing store display windows around the area — to use in laying out the boutique. “I thought of the idea to visually divide the store down the middle: prints and patterns on one side and neutrals on the other,” she says. Since opening in May of 2024, Wild Plains has been embraced by the surrounding community in Leawood, KS, a desirable suburb of Kansas City. (Famous residents include Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes.)

Pettibone says consumers are particularly drawn to her brand assortment, mostly European and Australian brands with quality construction and mindful fabrics (her son has sensitive skin, another obstacle her family faced when sourcing kids’ clothing). Prior to opening her own store, Pettibone often drove to out-of-state boutiques, like Minnows Kids in Park City, UT, to source such brands as Tiny Tribe, Splendid, and Me & Henry.

“I knew these boy brands that I loved weren’t in Kansas City, and I wanted to bring them here,” she remembers. To keep her offering fresh and cutting-edge, Pettibone visits as many industry markets as possible, including Dallas and Playtime. She’s noticed Australian brands are leading the pack when it comes to tween girl clothes, for example. “I just discovered a brand called Marlo Kids, out of Australia,” she adds. “My best sellers are often from Australian brands — good price point, bright colors, great fabrics.”

Carrying a brand assortment that can’t be found elsewhere locally has helped form Wild Plains into a retail destination. Pettibone has also incorporated a kids’ lounge in the store so that a visit is fun for the littles as well. “I have a play-on Jeep for kids to enjoy, and I host imaginary playtime for kids and book clubs in the lounge,” she notes. “The store is located in a shopping center next to a restaurant and a Catholic school, where my son goes, and the surrounding community has been so supportive.”

To draw consumers from broader locations, Pettibone is in the process of developing online sales. “So many people, especially boy moms, say what we’re offering is so needed,” she says, adding, “Often, you have to find it online. That’s why I go to market to see and feel the quality for them.”

In-store, Pettibone uses her merchandising know-how to create an atmosphere that feels upbeat without being overwhelming. Her displays strike a balance between stark and minimal and the often oversaturated colors and lights found in the kids’ industry. “Kids are often in here running around the place, including mine,” she notes. “The floor is open, so they’re not going to run into a rack. You can see mom shopping right from the lounge area, which is built from plywood and inspired by stalks of wheat from the Kansas plains.”

The store is so well thought-out, in fact, that it just won an architectural design award from The American Institute of Architects of Kansas City. “When I would go shopping with my mom as a kid, there were couches everywhere,” she remembers. “We’d stay in a store forever and hang out and play. That’s what I want to bring back.”

Leave a Comment: