The Storks Cradle taps into emotions

The Storks Cradle taps into emotions

By Gerri Hunt -- Kids Today, 1/1/2010 12:00:00 AM

Customers are inspired no matter where they look in The Storks Cradle.

When Cheryl Chenille was born in Bonnie Rae’s basement, so was a business. The chenille doll, whose dress can be embroidered with a name, was the brainchild of Rae and her daughter, Julie Reinhardt, who started creating one-of-a-kind bedding and blankets.

“After testing the market with our products, we eventually opened a small store in an established building that offered space for entrepreneurs to give their businesses a try,” Reinhardt said. It was a 6-foot-square booth. “We sold from there, and customers would say they loved something but needed a different theme or color.” The duo began designing baby’s rooms, which sometimes led to designing other rooms in the houses.

Bonnie Rae and Julie Reinhardt

They expanded twice, then moved, and expanded twice more, to their current 2,500-sq.-ft. store — all within six years. They’re now on the corner of a Norman Rockwell-like little town in Wheaton, Ill., 30 miles from Chicago.

“We try and make all our products and services personal from the custom bedding and room design to the handmade gifts created by us and other local artists,” she said.

When they moved into their current location in 2006, they added youth furniture. “By adding the lines of furniture, we can truly offer everything a mother needs to create a special room for their child,” said Reinhardt. “We recently added a maternity department so we are truly a full-service boutique. The diversity we offer allows us to have repeated sales through one customer … first maternity wear, then furniture and bedding, then gifts and Christening.”

Rae and Reinhardt take great care in handling customers and training employees.

“It has always been our goal to create a store that creates an emotional response from our customers … we get to know them, and we share tears of joy (and occasionally sadness),” Reinhardt said. “We try to be a source for new mothers who are overwhelmed by the 'must-buy’ lists of pregnancy. We train all of our employees in the 'un-hard sell.’ We truly believe that if you are helpful and compassionate, the sales will come.”

The store has two floors of cozy vignettes depicting various styles of room design and furniture. Customers are inspired by everything from chandeliers to artwork.

“We live in the Midwest so our customer is somewhat practical … but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t want style,” Reinhardt said. “We work very hard to keep our price points fair and reasonable while still offering exquisite design.”

The retailer also works hard to draw people in, “from the baby powder scent that we have pumped into the store to the Cheerios we offer our littlest customers, to the personalization of products,” she said.

“It has become a joke that only princesses and pregnant women work here. We have been very lucky to find women who have a passion for children,” Reinhardt said, noting that many of their employees are teachers. “Because our business philosophy is based so heavily on an emotional reaction from our customer, we only hire woman who are crazy for kids. We are at the store so often — we find many of our customers love the idea of working with the owners — so we don’t have a huge payroll so we can really handpick each employee.”

Rae and Reinhardt keep their employees up to date on products and trends.

“Our customer is often 'over-educated’ by the time they reach us so they are confused by the vast amount of information they have discovered,” Reinhardt said. “We want our employees to ease the anxiety of the 'Google-crazed’ customer. With solid information on the furniture and toy safety issues a customer can relax and enjoy the experience.”

And their efforts are paying off.

“We have customers make us their first stop when they find out they are pregnant because they just want to dream, as well as future grandmas who come in just for the 'baby vibes,’” said Reinhardt.

While the store offers several categories of products, its very own Cheryl Chenille is hands down the best seller. “We sell about five a day … and that’s not counting Christmas.” The other top-seller is a soft monogrammed “lovey” blanket they created, the Minky Binky Blankie.

The Spunky Funky Frog chenille quilt, with green flannel on the back, is a Storks Cradle original. It’s also available in a lamb, fish or flower motif and retails for $85.

“Aside from the doll, we have created a selection of soft, cuddly gift items that can be monogrammed. From bibs to sleep sacks, people love to receive something with their child’s name on it.”

It’s a family run store — Reinhardt’s teen-age sons can often be found sporting a bunny suit or moving furniture. “People appreciate that we understand the importance of family.”

And The Storks Cradle offers family-style events for its customers.

“We are always trying to think out of the box with advertising. We have found that our customers are our biggest advertisers, so we are always trying to honor them with interesting activities,” said Reinhardt. A professional photographer is set up in the store during the downtown trick-or-treating each Halloween, and they offer pictures with the Easter Bunny so moms can avoid the pressure of the mall.

And they’ve done holiday windows for three years, featuring live people re-enacting a Christmas scene. “We do it a week before Christmas as a thank you to all our customers for their support. “By working with the theater department of the local college and a dance school, we are able to produce a fabulous holiday memory for very little money,” said Reinhardt.

“The goodwill towards the community has created a loyal, enthusiastic clientele,” she continued. “We have found that by becoming part of their family traditions/memories then they go out of their way to shop with us.”

To combat the economy, the retailer continues offering new merchandise to keep customers coming. The window and floor displays are changed often for a fresh look.

“By showing positive attitude and forward movement, people feel that a purchase from us is safe because we will be around in the future,” said Reinhardt. “Nothing pleases us more than to think that something we did might be a warm childhood memory for somebody down the road. We have been approached several times to open additional locations. Perhaps if the economy continues to improve, we would consider yet another expansion.”

She said their goal has always been to be a fixture in their community. Growing up in Texas, Reinhardt said every girl in town felt extra special when they became engaged if their ring came from Fosters Jewelry Store. That’s the same notoriety they strive for at The Stork’s Cradle. “Every girl that’s pregnant and feels like she’s crossed into that phase of life, we want them to come here.”