Email this page
Print this page
del.icio.us
digg
City Sprouts ensures that your chic-lets are the stars of the 6-and-under set
By Katie PelechPhotographs by Ashley Heifner
City Sprouts frustrates me. I have no babies. None of my friends has babies, nor is anyone sporting an enigmatic “bump.” I’ve placed a few hopeful, inquisitive phone calls, to no avail. None of my second cousin’s brother-in-law’s stepdaughters has babies. There is no rational reason for me to buy anything at this store. And yet ... I want a onesie.
“We have someone, actually,” explains Molly Curlee, manager and co-owner of the store, “who has bought T-shirts for his dog—and toys.”
“Or baby slings,” her sister and business partner, Carrie Drda, adds helpfully. “You can put a tiny dog in a baby sling.”
Apparently I’m not the only one driven to fits of illogical spending by the cheeky adorableness that is City Sprouts.The University City store, located in the Loop, has become gloriously popular since its May 2005 opening, largely due to the unique aesthetic of the retail-savvy sisters (who’ve owned and operated gift boutique Phoenix Rising, across Delmar, for more than 15 years). Child Magazine recently named the store one of the 100 Coolest Kids’ Boutiques in the country, and rumors of a second opening are flying in stage whispers, though details have yet to be determined.
It’s City Sprouts’ ability to deliver function with style that has distinguished it from more traditional baby stores. The sisters have debunked the myth that pregnancy inspires a passion for all things frilly and pastel and are offering options to parents who, much as they love their children, aren’t willing to turn their homes into Fisher-Price shrines. Some of City Sprouts’ most popular items include the Orbit Infant System, an ingeniously designed stroller that adapts as your baby grows; the Cry Baby clothing line, including the bestselling “Someday I’ll Get Trashed at Prom” onesie; and crib sets from Dwell Baby, the offspring of hip New York City linen company Dwell.
As Shiloh and Suri (don’t even act like you don’t know) fever rages on, the store has become the lucky recipient of what the sisters call the “celebri-tot” windfall. Reproducing has always been pretty popular, but now, all of a sudden, it’s cool. “It really is amazing,” Curlee says, chuckling. “Celebrities are dressing their kids like they dress themselves.” Style-savvy parents are jumping on the bandwagon and snapping up pint-size silkscreened hoodies and metallic shoes with gusto, ensuring that their young ones’ first wobbles will follow in their own fashion-forward footsteps. Or is it the other way around?Says Curlee, “The main complaint we get from people is that our clothing doesn’t come in adult sizes.”
City Sprouts | 6354 Delmar | 314-726-9611 | citysprouts.com
