Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Godwin.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Sarah. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started my shop in Erie, PA because there weren’t any specialty stores where new families could go for help and support as well as a great selection of products. Since becoming a new parent is always overwhelming I wanted to create a shop that would allow new families a place to come and see the latest products, as well as natural and many made in the USA products. I also wanted to create a safe supportive environment where they could get information on the products and how the items can help their new family – no matter what path they are choosing to follow as a new family.
I became a Certified Babywearing Educator as well as a Certified Lactation Counselor so I could help with questions new families might have. After being open in Erie, PA for two years my husband’s job brought us back home to Houston and back home to The Heights. I brought the shop with me and opened up May 24th, 2016. We are in a smaller space than before but still able to offer that great hands on, face to face supportive experience to each of our customers. The shop is growing and changing with our new market (i.e. our need for snow friendly items is not as great here) and I enjoy our customers directing what’s next to bring in. I am looking forward to the next chapter of our adventure.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Our road has been a very typical Houston street with lots of bumps along the way. We have had the same business struggles that many small businesses and even some large ones have seen in the last few years with many people starting to order the majority of their products online. For this reason we do have an online webstore and offer curbside pickup. I am a mother of two and I know the struggle of taking your children to the store very well!
We have also had personal struggles along the way. The month I signed on my first lease in Erie, I found out my daughter was lead poisoned. It became clear very quickly that we couldn’t remain in our home as the home was poisoning her. Our little family, that consisted of myself, my husband, my daughter, two exchange students, 2 cats and 3 dogs, moved out and became slightly nomadic living first in a fishing cabin I rented quickly for us, then coming to Houston for Christmas and New Year break and staying with family to then returning to Erie to live in a hotel another 3 1/2 months. Also during this time my husband lost his job and we had to face the fact that moving would probably be our only option. We tried for another year to be able to stay but there were no jobs available for him so he moved back to TX about 9 months before the children and I did. Then I had to make the very sad decision to close my shop in Erie and also move it down about 6 months after our move. We love being back in Houston and back in The Heights and are looking forward to better times and adventures to come.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with The Pure Parenting Shop – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We are a modern and natural parenting shop. This means we offer the latest items on the market for children as well as natural products. I enjoy finding items on Kickstarter and indigo go and supporting them as well as going to markets to see the newest innovative ideas that are out or coming out soon. We also are naturally focused offering eco-friendly items as well as cost efficient items. Many of our products are made in the USA, and in TX, making a smaller carbon footprint for deliver as well as supporting our own nation and state. We offer items for all ages and stages of life in a family. This includes items for pregnancy, postpartum, newborn babies as well as children. We offer a wall of cloth diaper choices along with the education and support to help families wanting to choose this adventure to be successful. We also offer a wall of baby wearing options and demo carriers and even demo dolls to allow easy practice and specialized and individualized fittings for those carriers. We have a range of “cafe” items from stainless steel or silicone bottles to plates, cups, utensils and more. We also offer nursing supplies and supplements, nursing clothing, nursing and pregnancy bras, and nursing support. We have just added two brands of baby and toddler shoes with sizes ranging from 1 – 7 and the ability to special order and larger sizes we don’t carry.
We are in the process of passing permitting requirements with the city and will be moving to a larger space soon. The move will allow us to expand to bring in more baby gear and the ability to offer a more comprehensive baby registry. We are very excited to see our future here in our new community allowing us the chance to support the new families around us.
I think and hope we are most known for our product knowledge and customer service. After that for the fact that we are small but carry a lot of variety and items that are hard to find anywhere else. I am most proud of our ability to offer very specialized service and I always strive to offer great customer service and the most recent and up to date knowledge for new families. There are a couple of other stores in Houston that focus on mothers, and while that is great, parenting and raising kids is a joint effort. We strive to support moms as well as dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles and everyone who is working with the new family. Also other stores that offer “baby items” don’t have staff that is fully knowledgeable about the products in their store. I research all products in the shop and many I test on my own kids before bringing them in so I have first-hand knowledge of the pros and cons of the items.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We are in the process of obtaining permits from the city for some renovations on a new space located at 2401 Yale Street. This space will not only have convenient parking but will be a bigger space that will allow us to bring in baby gear that is hard to find. We are very much looking forward to this move and cannot wait to be in our new space we hope by the fall of 2017, if not before. Within the space we will also have a meeting space to allow for our meetups to resume in a comfortable larger environment.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1111 Heights Blvd
Houston, TX 77008Moving in 2017 to
2401 Yale St
Houston, TX 77008 - Website: www.thepureparentingshop.com
- Phone: 832-856-1416
- Email: info@thepureparentingshop.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_pure_parenting_shop/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePureParentingShop/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Pure_Parenting
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-pure-parenting-shop-houston
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/pureparenting/pins/
Image Credit:
TK Rivera Photography for Regrand Opening Photos
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
