Ashley Martz of Nurture Baby and Toddler in Indianapolis, IN

When Ashley Martz, owner of Nurture Baby and Toddler in Indianapolis, took the store’s reins in August of 2011, she wasn’t exactly a stranger to the industry. In addition to 10 years of retail experience that included an Apparel Merchandising degree from Indiana University, Martz owns, designs and hand-makes her own clothing line, Elms & Cedars, which she sold to Nurture’s previous owner before taking over herself.

Cheerful and whimsical, the 500-square-foot store is home to brands big and small, from Kate Quinn Organics and Tea Collection to local lines like Indie Loves Indy and Tees by Three. “We have two typical customers: the young mom who’s into eco-friendly items and the grandmothers—my No. 1 customer group—who are catering to that mom,” Martz reveals. “And we’re really close to downtown hotels and sports venues, so a lot of tourists come in just because they’re walking by.” Which is why small items like glasses and rattles fly off the shelves. “They’re super cute, and the customers just want something to take home with them,” Martz adds. “They can grab something funky and inexpensive and not have to worry about sizing.”

– Samantha Sciarrotta

What are some of your best brands for baby?
Tea Collection is probably the best in general. After that, it’s probably some of our local lines, including mine. Indie Loves Indy makes Indiana-themed one-pieces. I make an Indiana one-piece. They are our best sellers behind Tea. My customers seem to be really into expressing their love for our state and city.

How about for girls?
Again, Tea and Indie Loves Indie. Mayoral also sells well.

Do you sell baby gear?
We carry items like Moby Wrap, GroVia cloth diapers, feeding products and items from Skip Hop.

Do you offer toys?
Our toy selection is more limited. We do carry locally-made stuffed animals and dolls. We have some rattles and Angel Dear things.

What’s been the best brand you’ve added in the last year?
We just started carrying Hatley, and I’d say that’s been doing really well for us. We just started with Mayoral within the year. Teeny Tiny Optics has been good, too.

What is your go-to brand?
I would probably say Tea just because it covers our entire age range and it’s such a well-known brand.

What are some of your bestselling accessories?
We have a lot of hair bows and Bobaloo bibs. Teeny Tiny Optics have been really popular this summer. We also have some vintages neckties that are re-purposed with monster appliqués.

What’s your biggest challenge?
I guess it’s just choosing the proper products, advertising and knowing what’s going to be worth investing in. At 500 square feet, we have limited space, so if we want to take in a new brand, we have to phase out another one. It’s a guessing game.