Rebecca Moudachirou of Wild Child in Arlington, MA

Massachusetts children’s boutique Wild Child has weathered quite a bit of change since it first opened in 2005, says current owner Rebecca Moudachirou. Initially known as Wild Child, Wild Women, the store sold a mix of outdoorsy women’s and kids’ clothes. A few years later, a second owner took over and sold only kids’ clothing, baby gear, strollers and car seats. When Moudachirou took the reins in June of last year, she did away with larger gear items and now carries clothes, accessories and a small selection of toys. “With gear, we felt like we were unsuccessfully competing with Amazon,” she says of the decision to cut down on inventory. “Most people look online for those items. It was too risky to carry it.”

Now, she notes, business is good. And with Wild Child’s vibrant colors and thoughtful extras like a toy bin and changing area, it’s no wonder kids walk in and declare the shop their “favorite store,” says Moudachirou. “A lot of baby stores are all pastel and set up like a gallery,” she points out. “Everything here is really bright and open. We tried to make it kid-friendly.”

–Samantha Sciarrotta

What are some of your best brands for baby?
Le Top does really well. We just started carrying Margery Ellen Baby recently, and that’s already doing really well.

How about for girls?
Tea Collection blows everything out of the water for boys and girls. Toobydoo is great, too.

And boys?
In addition to Tea and Toobydoo, Kapital K does pretty well.

Do you carry toys?
There’s a toy store up the street, so we don’t do a ton, but Baby Baazaar is really cute. They’re unique, and a lot of people looking for gifts love those. Because of the demand for organic items, Apple Park is popular.

What’s the best brand you’ve added in the last year?
Frugi is my favorite thing that I’ve added. It’s an organic brand based in the U.K. that has been really well-received. It’s my favorite thing we carry. The texture of the material is so soft.

Do you have a go-to brand?
Tea Collection.

What are some of your top-selling accessories?
Peppercorn Kids does really well, especially with purses and necklaces, as well as Wee Ones bows. Livie & Luca, See Kai Run and Bobux are popular for shoes.

What’s the best part of your job?
Being around really happy people all the time. I’ve done retail in the mall, and this is not that same type of thing where you have to deal with difficult customers all the time. Everyone always seems to be in a good mood. I never dread going to work.