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new owners wanted to keep the well-established name, which had a three-decade history, but their vision entailed big changes for the merchandise–more U.S. brands and greater variety–and the overall gestalt of the store. “Our mission was to make Plaid Rabbit a place where moms can bring their kids to pick out their wardrobes for an entire season or just the perfect outfit for an occasion.” Mulligan enthuses, “It isn’t uncommon at all for us to hear a customer say to us ‘I have never seen a store with more inventory!’” WOMEN HELPING WOMEN The duo channeled many of their own needs and wants into the store, knowing that most of the items on their wish list were universal in the parenting world. “We both have children so we realize the importance of having a place where moms can shop and the kids have a place to play.” Plaid Rabbit went one step further, employing a village of females who just get it. “Everyone working is a nanny, mom or grandma so they are always happy to help. You will always be greeted with a smile. We have the sweetest team of ladies working for us and everyone loves helping customers,” La says. It isn’t uncommon to see an employee in the play area engaging with a child so the mother can finish her shopping or witness a baby on the countertop while one of the employees is helping change their outfit. Knowing that accidents happen, the store keeps its bathroom stocked with diapers from newborn to size 4 and of course, wipes. While the village keeps the store running well, Mulligan and
La still face the daily challenge of being business owners with families–the juggle that all working moms can relate to. “I always say that my main goal in life is for my family not to know I have a job and my job not to know I have a family,” Mulligan says. “That obviously creates a ton of stress at times!” DIVIDE AND CONQUER While both owners are equally invested in their inventory, there is a division of labor with other tasks. Kendra has always held more of the managerial cap, according to her partner. “I make the schedule, train our team, and focus on sales,” La says. “I also love putting together displays throughout the store.” La explains that Macy focuses on buying and designing outfits and she spends “hours doing custom embroidery for our clients.” Although Plaid Rabbit’s online and social media business has increased significantly since 2020, the buying strategy is still primarily buy for in-store customers. The location—and reputation—of the store yields amazing foot traffic on a daily basis. The store primarily caters to sizes 2T-6 and the owners make sure to buy double in lots of sizes for all the multiple births these days. Plaid Rabbit prides itself on being one of the leaders in the industry in buying classic, timeless children’s clothes—and doing it with the utmost attention. “We visit practically every vendor and look at every garment at market so that we can make the best selection
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