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Rock-a-buy baby

Angela Baura

Inspiration for Caroline Williams' venture grew out of a particularly frustrating shopping trip in Central about 18 months ago. She was expecting her first child and wanted functional, fashionable and eco-friendly products for the baby.

'I couldn't find products that were quite right. Everything was either made of materials laden with toxins, ecologically irresponsible or just plain unattractive,' Williams says. She's always been health-conscious and became more environmentally aware after moving to Hong Kong 12 years ago, she adds.

Fortunately, her airline job meant she was able to scour for alternatives during frequent flights abroad, but Williams realised not every mother has this privilege.

'My friends would ask me to bring baby products back for them. They spent time researching products that matched their needs or because they trusted certain brands, especially from their hometowns, that were previously not available in Hong Kong.'

Williams decided to set up a baby store that could offer others easy access to a choice selection from around the world, and last month, she celebrated her daughter's first birthday along with the birth of the store, Tiny Footprints.

Occupying 2,800 sq ft in the heart of Central, it is conceived as much as a 'destination' as a shop, she says. Besides space for breastfeeding, room to change nappies and comfy chairs, there will be storytelling sessions for the children and talks for parents or parents-to-be to learn about different topics.

Tiny Footprints is the latest entrant in the thriving business of children's products and services, with boutique operations often started by parents in response to unmet needs.

Likewise, Clarissa Becker, a former Credit Suisse derivatives manager, launched the Baby Central online store while on maternity leave in 2009 because she was frustrated by the lack of English-language operations in Hong Kong. Running your own business, however, can be a double-edged sword.

'It allows you the flexibility to spend time with your children when you need to, but it can also be all-consuming, and you might end up putting in more hours than you expected,' Becker says. 'Starting a new company when you have small children can be extremely stressful, but as with all things, it's about creating a balance between the different components of your life. A key factor in this is to try to optimise your time, and the easiest way to do this is shopping online.'

In January, Baby Central took on a physical presence with the opening of 5,000 sq ft premises in Wong Chuk Hang that included a playroom and cafe as well as shopping. Becker and co-director Katherine Regan hope to extend their reach by building a 'hub for parents'.

'We wanted to create a destination for mothers to rely on as a place where they could find everything they need, make friends, sit down and relax with a coffee while the kids are occupied in the playroom,' says Becker, who has two children, aged three and one.

Besides holding movie and manicure sessions for mothers, it also hosts workshops on baby development and homeopathic treatments. Charlotte Douglas, who runs the homeopathy workshops, says the informal setting has worked out well.

'We get to sit around a table [in the coffee shop] and chat about health and homeopathy over a cup of something hot. People learn how to use homeopathic remedies at home, and they get to take away a 36-remedy kit as part of the cost [HK$1,600 for a four-hour workshop],' says Douglas, founder of Love Life HK, a yoga and homeopathy practice.

Despite Hong Kong's low birth rate, children's products and services is a booming segment. Sales of baby products have grown at an average of 9 per cent in the past three years, according to Euromonitor International. Last year, spending on baby and child-specific toiletries, paediatric health products, baby food and toys for toddlers of up to 18 months came to about HK$2.4 billion. And that doesn't include spending on clothes or larger items such as pushchairs. Hong Kong parents are focused on providing the best for their children and are willing to spend accordingly, Euromonitor says.

Such spending may well be recession proof, if Nielsen HK's surveys are any indicator. The market researcher has found that because children are more precious as women have fewer babies, parents are unwilling to reduce spending on them even during economic downturns.

Barbara Ashbrook, a mother of two, applauds enterprising mums such as Williams and Becker, who 'have the drive and guts to follow their dreams and set up shop'.

'Almost every new mum has ideas about what she would like to see in stores. Everyone in Hong Kong is well-travelled; it's a great way of getting exciting new products or beautiful clothes into the city,' says Ashbrook, 39.

A mark-up on the items is to be expected for the founders, she says, 'and good on them'.

Young parents appreciate the greater choice available. Sherry Wong, 35, eagerly awaiting the birth of her second daughter, has been browsing in a number of baby stores, including Tiny Footprints and Baby Central.

'Tiny Footprints offers a nice range of products that are definitely on the high end. It's good for people looking for shower gifts for their pregnant or new mother friends,' she says. 'With Baby Central, it is nice to have the option for online purchase and delivery ... and I like the cafe and children's play area.'

While the baby boutiques offer parents a peaceful haven to select high-end products, Wong looks to long-standing baby superstores, such as Bumps to Babes and Eugene Club Centre, as the affordable places to stock up.

Bumps to Babes, which has large outlets in Central (7,000 sq ft) and Ap Lei Chau (15,000 sq ft), offers a large range for young families, from baby basics and maternity wear to pushchairs, car seats, high chairs, bedding, baths, toys and children's bedroom furniture.

Like baby boutique operators, Bumps founders Richard and Katrina Walker decided to start their business because they could not find what they needed in Hong Kong for their new baby. They had plenty of experience (both were senior executives in retail chains) and built the venture into one-stop centres for expectant mums and youngsters up to eight years old.

New mum Leesa Shannon, 33, says she enjoys browsing there because most items are on display.

'I like looking at the different options, seeing what they look or smell like, reading the packets or feeling the materials,' she says. 'It makes you feel that they have a lot of things there.'

Shannon stocks up on everyday essentials at Bumps to Babes, but generally prefers to get larger items such as a cot and stroller at British retail chain Mothercare, which has eight stores in Hong Kong.

But while Bumps to Babes typically attracts Western customers, Eugene Club Centre targets mainly mainland consumers.

'After 1997, there were more rich Chinese people who were eager to change their lifestyles and didn't have confidence in mainland products. As they can only have one child, they don't care about the price and are happy to come to Hong Kong to buy the best for their child,' says founder Eugene Yau.

The retail venture began in 1990 as an offshoot of Yau's publishing business (his Eugene Group publishes a stable of Chinese-language baby and parenting magazines including OURS, Pregnancy and Pre-school). Initially envisaged as a service to readers, Yau first began selling his advertisers' products from a small office in Quarry Bay.

Since then, Eugene Club has expanded to eight centres, each at least 10,000 sq ft, with the largest taking up 20,000 sq ft in Causeway Bay. Yau estimates they now stock more than 40,000 products representing over 200 brands from around the world.

It has proved to be a winning selection with customers such as Wong. 'Eugene Club Centre offers a good mix of Asian- and Western-sourced products. You can get almost everything you need for baby from the basic feeding stuff and milk formula to travel cots and nursery furniture,' she says. 'It's an East-meets-West Bumps to Babes.'

Even so, Wong sometimes feels 'preyed upon by the booming baby industry that is egging parents to dote on and spoil our precious offspring'.

But to Ashbrook and Shannon, parental extravagance merely reflects changing lifestyles.

'Hong Kong's most famous hobby is shopping so it makes sense that a lot of money gets spent on children here,' Ashbrook says. 'Parental guilt plays its part, too. High-profile jobs come with excessive working hours and trips away from home. Some of my working mum friends return home from business trips with a stack of presents to get their children's attention.'

The competitive culture here also encourages families to spend, Shannon says. 'Parents want to make sure their children aren't 'left behind' because they didn't have the educational DVD, for example. There is a certain amount of superficiality also - wanting to 'look' the part and have nice things.'

But whatever the commercial influences, the primary motivation for splurging on youngsters remains parental concern. Noting a customer's careful scrutiny of the label on baby food item at Tiny Footprints, Williams says: 'I am like most mums; I just want the best for my baby.'

Rearing to go

Baby boutiques have sprouted up all over the city in recent years. Here are some of our favourites.

Babushka

Elizabeth Jeffrey established her Sai Kung-based children's lifestyle boutique in 2010. The 1,400 sq ft store offers toys, books, clothes, accessories, homeware and party supplies by international designers, as well as its own line of girls' clothes and furniture. Babushka will soon launch a shopping site with free delivery across Hong Kong. Inquiries: 2791 9070

Colors

Founded in 2008, Colors is a one-stop baby boutique occupying 1,000 sq ft in Wan Chai. It offers high-end baby basics, clothes, toys, strollers, kitchenware and furniture by top European designers, including Stokke, Grobag and Philips. Parents can also work with founder, Frank Lau, a former furniture exporter, to create bespoke children's furniture. colors.com.hk

Cosmo Beebies

Initially established as an online store in 2010, Cosmo Beebies now occupies a 1,500 sq ft space in Central. It stocks a hand-picked selection of high-end, eco-friendly, European brands, ranging from maternity and nursing clothes, to nursery furniture, toys, and baby care products. Founders Christina Zhang and Brian Bai plan to establish a store in Beijing at the end of this year. cosmobeebies.com

Jellybean

Focusing on fun and functionality, this children's lifestyle boutique in Wan Chai encourages youngsters to play with the toys on display while parents browse a selection of bedding, hand-painted lamps, and one-of-a-kind wall art. Founded by three mums in 2011, the 400 sq ft shop stocks children's furniture, kitchenware and school supplies from European and American suppliers including Bobble Art, Ore and Sevi. jellybean.hk

Little Whale

Established in 2009, Little Whale has a 500 sq ft outlet in Central and a 1,000 sq ft store in Discovery Bay. The shops offer a range of well-known brands, including Stokke furniture, Baby Bj?rn carriers, Summer Infant baby baths, and Lego toys. There is also an extensive selection of party supplies. littlewhale.com.hk

Mama Kid

Founded in 2010 by former actress and marketing executive Valerie Chow, Mama Kid began with an outlet in Central and recently added a branch in Stanley. Focusing mainly on clothing, it showcases international brands such as Bang Bang Copenhagen, Dandy Star, Filament, Jellycat, La petite Luce, and Lola & James. The stock also includes designer footwear, accessories, educational toys and books. mamakid.com

Mother Organic

Targeting eco-conscious parents, this store in Central sells affordable organic-certified and natural products, including a range of clothing (maternity, nursing and baby), food (for mother and baby), bedding, toys, books, and skincare products.

Petit Bazaar

This French 'bazaar' concept store features handmade children's clothes, toys, home furnishings and kitchenware. Founder Narguess Sousi sources most of her stock from eco-friendly designers in Europe. It has outlets in Central, Wan Chai and Stanley. http://petitbazaar.canalblog.com
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