The name came even before the first business plan was developed; an idea tucked away in her conscience before she began looking for a location. It was going to be Baby’s On Broadway. “I had a logo, I had everything and all of a sudden this building in downtown Little Falls, on Broadway, came up for sale,” recalled Adelle Starin. “It just kind of felt like it was meant to be.” Every year afterward, Baby’s On Broadway, or “BOB” as everyone now calls it, has added something new to the store. This year they’re providing breast pumps, through insurance, for customers. It’s always something new, some service or product they can provide. That’s the challenge, and the fun.
Starin sounds like the spokesperson for a new mother’s support group, but she’s just the owner of her fun and lively baby store in downtown Little Falls. Her “moms” are fiercely loyal to Baby’s On Broadway, Adelle’s “jump off a bridge” leap of faith shop. The only person who could possibly top their enthusiasm is Starin herself. She’s passionate about what she does, the products she carries, and the commitment she has to providing quality products of all ranges, for all customers.
Filling A Need
As a young mother, she wanted the best for her children. Not that long ago, when Adelle began looking for the product’s she knew she’d want and need, she discovered there weren’t a lot of options. She wanted to shop locally and avoid the big box stores if possible. Adelle is big on quality, especially when it comes to infants. She wanted to shop at a place where even what seem to be the basics; car seats, strollers, and cribs, are quality made, and you get information about the products and how to properly install or assemble and use them. Her caveat? She didn’t want to drive to the Twin Cities every time she wanted to get something. So, she thought, why not? Baby’s On Broadway was born from Starin’s personal desire to have quality-made products available for moms, close to home.
Located in historic downtown Little Falls, Minnesota, Starin found it serendipitous when the space at 47 East Broadway became available just as Baby’s On Broadway was ready to debut. She knew exactly what she wanted to carry, and the level of customer service and support she wanted to give. Her vision was to create a place where moms could come in and talk directly to someone who has done the research on the products and could help them find the right fit for their home.
Baby’s On Broadway carries everything you need to welcome a baby. They've got your cribs, your dressers, your car seats, your strollers, all the little essential items. They have nursery glider rockers, recliners, and offer a large scope of products in a lot of different shapes and price ranges. Adelle prides herself on making sure her products hit everyone’s budget and the products are of high quality and meet all safety requirements.
Customer service is important to Adelle. BOB offers setup and delivery, they have their own full-time delivery guy, with a broad service area. Baby’s On Broadway loves to assist with baby registries, sorting out the details to fit everyone’s lifestyle and budget. They’ve also eliminated the need to look for that perfect space to host a baby shower because BOB has a beautiful 1,200 square-foot room available year-round.
The business philosophy at Baby’s On Broadway is to not be sales driven. “I really, really, really pride myself on not pressuring parents into purchasing products,” says Adelle. She wants customers to be able to take their time and learn about the products that will work for them. It’s her belief that by giving them that education, they will bring their business back to her. “We want to help educate them on things that work,” she says.
Expert Knowledge
Next up? A credentialed onsite lactation counselor. “It’s uncharted territory,” says the hometown owner. We are your one-stop-shop for everything that parenthood brings, say Starin. Baby's on Broadway also offers one-on-one appointments with a trained baby enthusiast to help you register and find the products that will fit your new lifestyle.
Adelle is a CPST, a certified passenger safety technician. Safety is important, and if you’ve ever had to install a car seat, it’s not the way your grandparents did, laughs the owner. “I’m able to help them install their car seats, make sure that they're correct,” says Adelle. “When they purchase it here, we're really going that extra mile and making sure they're buying the right things like their age, weight, vehicle they drive.” It’s a service parent’s usually have to go to the local fire station or EMS center, which is also a service Adelle gladly helps out with in her own community as well. She’s bullish on safety.
We can’t forget the toy shop next door, says Starin. It was one of her yearly adds a couple of years ago. It seemed like a natural fit. ThingamaBOB's Toy Shop is central Minnesota’s largest specialty kids and toys shop. She’s rebranded the look and feel to meld with the baby product’s line. They carry the “latest and greatest toys, science kits, art & craft projects, games and gifts for all ages.” You can’t beat that.
Reflecting back on her venture, Starin says, “I'm just going to say that I wasn't exactly sure what it looked like,” She envisioned herself wanting to do this, staying with it, really being a network community for moms. “We're really just there to kind of be a sounding board, like yeah, this is fine, we're all kind of a hot mess together,” says Starin. “I feel like we want to create the environment for parents that it’s kind of a safe zone and hopefully that brings the business and keeps it growing.”