What’s Selling at Pitter Patter Inc. in Bath, Maine

Colleen Whitaker, owner of Pitter Patter Inc. children’s boutique, can tell you all about the importance of location, location, location. In 2007 she bought the shop that she had previously managed and gave it its current name to put her own personal spin on things. Now, the business has moved a few blocks up the street and down the way and sales have never been better. The key: visibility. Located amongst other cornerstone business on Front Street, customers walking by see the store and pop in to check it out.

With a focus on carrying items for all levels from hand-smocked traditional special occasion dresses to soft clothes that kids can sport to daycare, Whitaker makes a point of offering pieces made of natural fibers such as 100-percent cotton in a wide range of price points. She talks shop with us about what’s big in Bath and what makes her town so special.

Q: Who is your typical customer? Grandparents! (laughs) They love buying gifts. We also do have quite a few young families. Once parents realize that you get what you pay for – that if you buy a higher quality item from us, it is actually more convenient than buying a cheaper item from a big box store that falls apart quickly – they usually come back and shop with us.

Q: How was business last year? It was a really good year. We saw a lot of growth. We moved locations and the visibility has really helped us. The space itself is just fantastic, as well. It’s bigger, it has a back room, I came in and redid the floors and the lighting. It’s tailored to Pitter Patter Inc. and you can really tell.

Q: What are your best-selling apparel brands? Hatley is so great for us. It really sells well and embodies the spirit of the store. Kissy Kissy and Zutano are big. And Gambies, which started here in Maine. They’re 100-percent cotton pre-shrunk baby buntings with a drawstring at the bottom that can grow with a child. You can pull the drawstring out and use them as a cover-up or sweatshirt. They’re screen-printed in Rockport, ME, and have really cute design options.

Q: Do you do any in-store events? Yes! We are part of Main Street Bath, which is an organization that works together to do events for the town. One really cool thing we do is The Early Bird event in November, where the whole street goes on sale and the earlier you come in, the better the sales offerings. We also throw a birthday party every year on July 23rd. We have cake, games and a sale. It’s so much fun and probably my favorite event of the year.

Q: What keeps customers coming back to your store? There’s a trust factor here. They know me. I build relationships with moms, often when they’re still pregnant. They get to know me, my tastes and they know I’m truthful. I know the products I carry, I won’t sell them things that aren’t quality and if the pieces they get here don’t work, they can bring them back. It lends a face to a product.

Q: Is there anything you’d like to say about your community? The events and communication in this town is just incredible. I’m watching families that started shopping here when kids were infants grow up until they grow out of what we offer at our store. It’s such a tight-knit community that is pretty enticing outside of us, as well. With the Main Street Bath organization, we meet to discuss business and events; we really work together to make our businesses as strong as they can be. That feels pretty special.

Q: What’s the best part of your job? The people. Holding babies! It’s definitely the people that come in, helping them find the perfect gift, participating in the excitement of welcoming a new family member. I love sharing in the joy and celebration. Every day here feels like a celebration!