ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS – Maturing in Bucks Region, Pennsylvania, Meg O’Donnell was a productive kid that appreciated art, and also she efficiently profited from those characteristics with her launch of Little Chicken, an Atlantic Highlands store that uses tailored youngsters’ clothing and also devices along with enjoyable occasion room.
“I was constantly driven to produce points and also enjoyed art as a child, specifically paint and also laying out,” claimed O’Donnell, 37, an Atlantic Highlands homeowner. “I additionally enjoyed to function and also the sensation of achievement I obtained when individuals suched as the task I did.”
After finishing from George Washington College in Washington, D.C., with a twin significant in arts and also art background, she took a work in vogue public relations, a duty which entailed taking a trip to Europe with customers. “It was extremely fascinating,” she remembered, “however I inevitably understood that it wasn’t for me due to the fact that I missed out on developing my very own job.”
O’Donnell returned to college, finished from the Style Institute of Innovation in New York City City with a level in devices style, and also has actually operated in the females’s garment industry because 2008.
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In 2010, O’Donnell and also her spouse, an expert sailor, relocated to Atlantic Highlands, and also, soon after inviting youngsters Olivia and also Jack, O’Donnell was motivated to produce an organization of her very own.
“We utilized to call my child ‘Little Hen’ as a label when she was an infant and also I in fact signed up the name of my shop in 2017, long prior to I possessed it,” O’Donnell described.
“Back then, I was really feeling unimaginative and also wished to do something trendy with a youngsters’ brand name,” she claimed. “I place the idea apart when we had our child and also the pandemic took place, however as COVID repressed a little bit, I returned to the concept. Remaining in the females’s garment industry and also taking a trip to Asia a great deal, I started talking to manufacturing facilities overseas and also began creating youngster’s footwear,” she claimed of her venture right into authentic natural leather tennis shoes for youngsters at an obtainable rate factor.
“I’d discovered a great deal of young family members with kids transferring to Atlantic Highlands throughout the pandemic, which motivated my rate of interest in a brick-and-mortar area,” she proceeded. “The shop that we currently inhabit — previously a maritime electrical outlet called The Captain Store — appeared in 2021 and also when I saw the ‘For Rental fee’ indication, I informed my spouse that it would certainly be an outstanding area for a youngsters’s shop.
“I suched as the room due to the fact that it was double objective,” O’Donnell claimed. “The front is retail room and also the back is an occasion room for organizing youngsters’ birthday celebration events, songs sessions, stitching courses, mommy-and-me yoga exercise, kid open play, and also also speech treatment,” she claimed of the common room that provides youngsters an area to collect, discover, and also play. “The one point in the area that I believed was missing out on was something for youngsters, so I storyboarded every little thing out and also we opened up Little Hen in November 2021.”
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‘See each youngster’s individuality via their coat’
Today, in her 2,400-square-foot room which satisfies youngsters from early stage via age 15, the shop’s Little Hen brand name uses “a big line of individualized items for youngsters, consisting of youngsters’ jeans coats with various spots,” O’Donnell claimed. “We partnered with Levi’s and also are currently the biggest independent buyer of Levi’s jeans coats for youngsters in the nation,” she claimed of her coats, which are valued at $46 plus $5 per spot they pick.
“We have more than 200 various spots to pick from — from initials to football spheres, lightning screws and also far more — and also you actually reach see each youngster’s individuality via their coat,” she claimed.
“The coats have actually come to be immensely preferred and also make an outstanding present due to the fact that they’re extremely individual per youngster,” O’Donnell claimed. “We attach the spots with a warmth press in our shop and also our seamstress, Natalie, that additionally runs our youngsters’ sewing courses, can in addition sew each spot on for added resilience for anybody that desires that choice.”
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Vivid Tee shirts are one more huge vendor at the shop.
“My spouse has actually constantly enjoyed display printing, and also when we made a decision to open up the shop, he purchased a printing machine and also released his very own service called T-shirt Storage locker Printing,” O’Donnell claimed. “With each other, we develop the Little Hen line of visuals clothing and also he develops them by hand in his workshop. Our most preferred visuals is our white ‘Treats’ Tee shirts with red letters, however we have 30 to 50 various designs, consisting of t shirts and also sweatshirts with vacation styles this period.
“We additionally lug youngsters’ devices like tote, bags and also knapsacks, and also our line of $12 beanies can have a spot included in make a wonderful tailored present for under $20,” she claimed.
“We take satisfaction in producing a unique item at an obtainable rate factor and also are specifically pleased with our website, which took our service to one more degree because we released it this previous March,” O’Donnell kept in mind. “Over the previous 9 months, we’ve delivered personalized jeans coats and also visuals Tee shirts around the globe and also also to some celebs, consisting of Nicky Hilton.”
Little Hen additionally includes an occasion room that O’Donnell calls a ‘delighted location’ for youngsters and also grownups alike.
“Our back area is intense and also contemporary,” she claimed. “With a pop of shades and also fascinating equipment and also accents that I gathered from my history in art along with trendy songs having fun, from David Bowie to Taylor Swift, it’s an enjoyable retreat from the globe outside for every ages.”
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Amongst fads, O’Donnell claimed personalization, uniqueness and also approval of individuals are all so essential today. “It’s youngsters simply being themselves, claiming ‘This is what I’m about,’ and also allowing individuals recognize,” she claimed. “Enjoyable, intense shades are additionally in, together with lots of encounters, lightning screws, neon, radiance, bangles, and so on. It’s an ‘every little thing goes’ time with a great deal of various structures and also shades. These youngsters’ moms and dads matured in the 1990s and also it’s a go back to that period and also a brand-new fond memories.”
When it comes to difficulties, O’Donnell has actually involved recognize the ups and also downs of retail.
“You discover that sales will certainly ups and downs based upon conditions past your control, consisting of the climate, the pandemic, vacations, and so on., so it’s about handling the low and high,” she claimed. As well as while supply chain problems are boosting, she included, “delivery expenses have actually skyrocketed and also item expenses have actually risen too.”
‘A shop individuals discuss maturing with’
Sustained by 4 workers (consisting of shop manager/customer intermediary Julia D’Aguanno) plus an occasions supervisor that timetables the back area and also deals with trainers and also an event organizer, O’Donnell is a jack of all professions.
“I do every little thing from buying Levi’s coats to creating Tee shirts, delivering things, and also obtaining the garbage — whatever requires to be done — however we have a wonderful personnel that connect with our consumers each day and also produce a wonderful purchasing experience,” she claimed.
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Looking in advance, “we’re constantly including brand-new items and also courses and also intend to remain to expand our site,” O’Donnell claimed. “On December 8th from 6 to 8 p.m., we’ll be holding our following ‘store and also sip’ in our occasion room. Throughout that time, youngsters’ coats will certainly be developed, pushed and also stitched in our relaxing environment total with free of charge sparkling wine and also appetisers and also you’ll leave with the ideal present.”
“In the future, I really hope that Little Hen can be a shop individuals discuss maturing with and also an area they can’t wait to bring their very own youngsters to at some point,” O’Donnell shared. “Our brand name is presently offered at Maisonette (a high-end digital marketplace for kids), however this is simply the starting for us and also we intend to end up being a country wide identified brand name offered via Amazon.com, Zappos, Nordstrom and also much more due to the fact that we have such a unique and also preferred offering.”
Inevitably, “I appreciate making individuals delighted with things I produce and also it’s interesting to see just how much youngsters and also moms and dads enjoy our shop and also items,” she wrapped up. “Seeing a child love our item and also use it to college on a daily basis is really incredible.”
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Little Hen
Place: 35 Initial Ave., Atlantic Highlands
Phone: 732-872-4354
Proprietor: Meg O’Donnell
Opened Up: November 2021
Internet Site: littlechickenkids.com
