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Audrey Kingo • Jul 6, 2015

Made to Order

Little and big customers alike love stopping by to whip up something special at Meg Fisher’s Lincoln & Lexi.

farmerIt’s safe to say Meg Fisher is a planner. The owner of Lincoln & Lexi, a children’s boutique and photography studio in Des Moines, IA, Fisher began laying the groundwork for her store in college and launched Lincoln & Lexi in 2010 as a custom home party and baby shower business not long after graduating. Her handmade pieces were such a hit that she opened a mall kiosk about a year later. Today, Fisher’s shop offers a range of high-end children’s and maternity brands in addition to her popular in-house line. In fact, “About 75 percent of our sales come from our custom products, accessories and gifts—about 10 percent of our square footage,” she notes. With a custom accessories station and the ability to add embroidery on the spot, little and big customers alike love stopping by to whip up something special. As for the name, it’s what she plans to call her son and daughter one day. (Thankfully, she reports, her fiancé is on board.)

“I added a new sector to our company called the custom accessory bar, or CAB. We have over 150 different selections of elastic for headbands, and we have hundreds of different flowers and pearls—so customers can get the exact shade of pink they want to go with their outfit,” Fisher says.

Her go-to holiday gift? “Last year I brought in family pajamas from Hatley, and they were the biggest hit. We reordered three or four times. We had families who bought as many as 10 sets and got them all personalized.” (hatley.com)

Wrap tops by Isabella Oliver are a popular pick because “depending on whether you’re carrying higher or lower, you can move the wrap to that area,” Fisher says. “So if you need more support lower, you just spread it out farther lower, and vice versa if you’re carrying higher.” (isabellaoliver.com/us)

“Kickee Pants is one of our go-to brands when someone comes in for a gift, and they’re not sure what they are looking for,” Fisher says. “The nice thing about their bamboo [fabric] is we can sell the same styles all year round because it breathes so well. Their sleepers sell like crazy.” (kickeepants.com)

“When I do my maternity buying, I really try to find pieces that women can wear before, during and after pregnancy,” Fisher explains. One example? Lilac’s striped Jill maxi dress. “It’s such an adorable fit, whether you’re pregnant or not.” (lilacclothing.com)

“In a sense, Lincoln & Lexi is a live Etsy shop, where you can actually come in and pick out what you want, know the quality you’re going to get, design it right here with us and pick it up in a few days. Our Lincoln & Lexi ribbon blankets, for example, are our top-selling baby gift.”

For teething babies, Fisher’s customers can’t resist amber beads by Momma Goose. “It’s Baltic amber, which is a natural anti-inflammatory. It’s a great alternative to Motrin or Tylenol.” (ambergoose.ca)

“Bamboo swaddles by Aden + Anais are definitely one of our bestselling products—especially for parents who want gender-neutral items, because they have really good prints that are great for a boy or girl.” (adenandanais.com)

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