Outdoors on a recent afternoon it was pouring gloomy rain, but you don't walk into a store called Wiggles & Giggles and not get a sun-shiney atmosphere of pinks, light blues and bright greens.
Erica Wood's store at 1074 Post Rd. (across the street from Panera Bread) blooms with children's clothing like the textile equivalent of a flower garden.
But while the store is laden with charm, it isn't weighed down with heavy price tags -- Wood keeps almost all the prices under $100 and the merchandise conservative enough to make for good hand-me-downs for younger brothers and sisters.
Wood describes what she sells as "good quality classic clothing—most families around here have a number of kids so they pass it down. A lot of classic things. I want people to come in and be able to buy a baby gift for a reasonable amount of money.
"You don't want to spend $100 on an outfit and watch your kids slide through the parking lot," she continued. "You want your kids to look appropriate and have it be fun."
Wood has worked in retail businesses for all of her professional career. For a decade she worked for Rugged Bear, a 30-store chain that had a storefront in the Goodwives Shopping Center. Wood was a regional buyer for the chain.
Now the mother of her own child, a four-year-old, Wood wanted to open a children's clothing store -- a market segment she enjoyed working in and in a situation where she would be working close to home and in a flexible environment.
The store is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, but "if you're a working mom, I get it, so call me," Wood said. She can leave the light on for you and let you in a little later. You can reach her at (203) 309-5109.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
