“We need to support small and local especially right now because it’s a corner stone of our community.” Starting a business at any time is risky, especially now during a pandemic. That didn’t stop Kellie Lillybridge who opened up The Original Children’s Shop in downtown Wenatchee in late October 2020.Kellie saw that a boutique children’s store was missing from the Wenatchee market. Coming from a line of hard-working women who have owned and managed The Original Children’s Shop in Seattle for more than 30 years now, she's learned to persevere. So, she brought her small business to Wenatchee. Though downtown has been quieter than usual due to COVID, she’s confident her business brings something special to the Wenatchee community.“I’m very excited to see how the store in Wenatchee grows. It’s great being able bring something to downtown Wenatchee that hasn’t been here in a long time – a store just for babies and kids,” says Kellie. She looks forward to being a part of a downtown that really looks out for all the businesses, plans events and drives the “shop local” campaign.A lot

of time, research and care is put into the items chosen for The Original Children’s Shop. Being a mom of young kids herself, Kellie has worked hard to make the store her own, partnering with a lot of independently-owned brands she trusts for her own children. In the store, you can find organic sleepers for babies, sustainable wooden toys without chemicals and soft, well-made clothing by brands you wouldn’t normally find anywhere else. Some of her favorite items right now include Copper Pearl bandana bibs and blankets, started by a mom who built her business from the ground up. And then there’s Kyte Baby, who creates the softest baby pajamas and sleep sacks, made sustainably with bamboo fabric.“We bring more than just clothes to the community, we bring service, styling, and extra special touches. We are a face-to-face business.” Kellie knows how important it is to look at, feel and touch things in person, especially when they are being used by the most important people in our lives.

Kellie, like her mother and grandmother before her, prides herself in finding brands who have a story and might not be carried by big retailers. Kellie’s mother bought the store originally in Seattle in 1989, and it became a family business, employing her grandmother, aunt, sister and herself shortly after. This year amid a pandemic, Kellie couldn’t stand the thought of closing their doors when their lease was up and her parents wanted out of the business, so she and her husband decided to buy the store in Seattle and open up a second location in Wenatchee, where she grew up and her family now resides.While The Original Children’s Shop does have an online store, Kellie Lillybridge still wants to make sure shopping in person is an enjoyable experience, as she has been in the business of building relationships since her very first day in her family’s store. She knows families only want the best of

the best for their children, and she wants to be there every step of the way.“Kids need people in their lives, they need smiling faces and joyful experiences. If I can offer a place for that to happen, it makes me feel like I’m doing my part in the world.” Kellie looks forward to building relationships with the families in and around Wenatchee, and the ones who come check out all of the amazing businesses Wenatchee has to offer.