Amy Martini of Me & Mommy in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Not soon after Amy Martini opened her kids’ boutique Me & Mommy in 2001 in Myrtle Beach, SC, some of her customers indirectly turned her on to the idea of providing matching duds for moms. “They would come in and say, ‘I’m buying all of this stuff for my kids. I want to get something for myself!'” she recalls. “So I thought, ‘If I tempt them to buy, maybe they will.'” Now, seven years later, Martini says it was the best business decision she’s made, though her kids’ selection—from newborn to 7 years for boys and newborn to 16 years for girls—still reigns supreme. Some brands in her inventory, though, like Anita G, Mustard Pie and Hatley, carrying matching Mommy and Me sets, which Martini says are popular for holidays and family portraits.

After almost exactly 13 years in business, Martini’s regulars still swing by, even those who stop in once or twice a year while on vacation. “In the summertime, it’s all tourists, but we do get our second-home customers in the winter,” she notes. And while the store does have a website, Martini says she does the bulk of her business through Facebook, where she routinely posts new offerings. “I’ll wake up in the morning with 5 to 10 new orders just from Facebook,” she says. “I’ll go into the store, pull what I need, and ship it out the next day.”

—Samantha Sciarrotta

What are some of your bestselling boys’ brands?
Le Top, Wally & Willie, Mud Pie, Funtasia and Zuccini.

How about for girls?

Giggle Moon, Mustard Pie, Isobella and Chloe, Lemon Loves Lime, Peaches ‘n Cream and Flit and Flitter.

And baby?

Kissy Kissy, Mud Pie and Peaches ‘n Cream.

What kinds of accessories do you offer?

For children, we have a whole wall of hair bows. We do a lot of Wee Ones. Girls’ shoes by L’Amour and Squeakers. We also carry a lot of diaper bags, birthday hats for boys and girls and ladies’ necklaces and bracelets.

What’s the biggest challenge that comes with owning your store?
Keeping up with the newest styles to stay on pace with other retailers!

What’s the best part of your job?

Interacting with people on a daily basis. A lot of customers, I’ll only see once a year, but I remember every single one of them because I’ve had conversations over and over about their children. We’ve watched them grow. I do have my local customers that I see once a week or once a month. It feels like I get to know thousands of people on a professional and personal level. I’ve really made friends over the years.

What sets your business apart?

We really pride ourselves on our customer service. We help a lot of customers with selecting gifts because we know them so well. Just this morning, I had a lady call me up and ask if I was coming into the store today because she needed help picking out a gift, and I knew what she’d want. So I went in and had it wrapped up and ready for her when she came in.