Somerset County Mom Of 3 Opens New Children's Boutique With Unique, Curated Clothing

SOMERVILLE, NJ — For Manville native and mother of three, Amanda Sopko, opening a children's boutique was much needed for the area.

"There's nowhere in Somerset County that you can go to find unique kids' pieces. Yes, go to Target or Macy's at the mall, Walmart, and you're getting the same things that everybody else is getting," said Sopko.

With three girls ages six and under, Sopko wanted to bring a selection of "unique pieces that are really curated from my experience as a mom. I know what parents are looking for as far as durability and comfort. That's really what our goal was here."

Now, Sopko is opening her first brick-and-mortar business, Little Honey Children's Boutique at 4 Division St. in Somerville on Saturday, April 18.

With a degree in Business and a background working in the mortgage industry, Sopko said growing up, she had always known she wanted to be her own business owner.

She launched Little Honey, named after a nickname for her girls, online only in 2023, and business took off. Since then, the business has also sold items through vendor events and trade shows, where Sopko said returning customers regularly asked when she would open a permanent store.

When it was time to expand, Sopko's mother and local realtor Michele Johnson helped her secure the space in Somerville.

The boutique will offer clothing for girls and boys from newborn sizes through mostly 6 or 7, with some size 8 items starting to arrive. Sopko said she plans to rotate inventory with the seasons and expand offerings over time to include bathing suits, Halloween costumes, and more.

The clothing is very unique, with many Indie brands such as Sweet Bamboo, Made By Molly, Harp Angel - "those kinds of brands that you don't see a lot of."

In addition to children's apparel, the store carries some toys, newborn accessories, and a small selection of women's items such as handbags, beach bags, swimsuit coverings and sweatshirts.

Sopko said many of the pieces are chosen with an emphasis on comfort and durability. She pointed to bamboo and bamboo-spandex pajamas as examples of products she believes hold up well over time.

As she described the opening, Sopko also reflected on what it means personally to launch the business while raising three children.

"A little overwhelming, but honestly, I feel like I've been so crazy that I haven't had a second to really process it," she said. "But it does feel really good to accomplish this. Especially when you are a mom, you lose yourself in motherhood. So to feel like I have something that I did is big. It's also hard as a mom to say that you're proud of yourself, but you know I am."

The April 18 event is expected to include a ribbon cutting, giveaways, and cookies from Blue Sheep Bake Shop.

For more information on Little Honey Children's Boutique, visit shoplittlehoneyboutique.com or follow instagram.com/shoplittlehoneyboutique or facebook.com.

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