From accessories to toys, Austin staple Bright Beginnings Boutique has everything parents need to prepare their children for a new school year. Located at 3010 W. Anderson Lane, Ste. B, the children's clothing boutique will soon be celebrating its 40th anniversary.
The business originally opened in 1983 and was owned by husband and wife Marc and Sally Whitehouse. Once the couple became grandparents, they decided to sell the store—and in 2017, Katy and Joe Williamson took over the business. When the Williamson’s decided to relocate in 2021, the opportunity arose for a new owner, which they found in Kelli and Alex Bellon.
The boutique was one the first children’s stores in Austin to have an online presence, according to Bellon, which has helped usher in a new, dedicated clientele. Even with multiple different owners over the years, the business has been able to successfully evolve with the times while still keeping a traditional feel.
This philosophy was embodied a few months ago, when the store still had thousands of Beanie Babies for sale that were collecting dust. Instead of letting them sit there, Bellon hosted a free giveaway of them.
“The store was kind of the go-to for baby clothes that wasn't a department store. It still had that local flair to it while offering really high quality stuff. When Katy took over, she shifted the direction a little bit to more trendy and modern offerings,” Kelli Bellon said. “I think we've transitioned into more trendy items, but we still kind of cater to grandmothers looking for those traditional gifts for their new grandbabies. It's a nice mix of traditional and modern stuff.”
The boutique currently sells clothes for newborns up to a size eight for boys and girls, as well as baby toys, Montessori style toys, pajamas, sleep sacks, rain gear, accessories and blankets. They’re also going to start offering monogramming services. Currently, Bellon is readying the shop for new fall items she selected earlier this year.
Here's some of the items shoppers can expect at Bright Beginnings Boutique this fall:
- Hedgehog and mushroom motifs
- Boots
- Western themed sleepers
- Bamboo fabric PJs
- Jewel tones
“A lot of people come back and shop with us because of how good of quality our items are. The point of our items is that they are able to be passed along to the next generation,” Bellon said. “We want to be part of people's families. That's how it's been for the past 40 years and hopefully for the next 40 as well.”
For more information about Bright Beginnings Boutique, visit their website.
The above story was produced by Community Impact's Storytelling Multi-Platform Journalist Sierra Rozen with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team. Our integrity promise to our readers is to clearly identify all CI Storytelling posts so they are separate from the content decided upon, researched and written by our journalism department.
