Family Matters

Owner Christina Maurizi loves bonding with fellow moms.

As a mom to six kids, including three foster girls with developmental disabilities, Christina Maurizi wanted to launch a business she could run with her family in mind. It wasn’t until her youngest was born that she fell in love with boutique clothing, inspiring her to open her own kids’ shop. La Di Da Children’s Boutique debuted in Columbia, MO, in August 2015. “This is so much more than a business,” says Maurizi. “I absolutely love connecting with other moms and gushing over our children.”

The store’s woodland aesthetic—including a shoe display that resembles a birch tree—evolved from an inspired bit of problem-solving. “I had a big pole in the store and I was trying to think of something to build that would be purposeful and friendly,” she explains. “So we made it into a tree and put up a picket fence.”

The boutique carries over 30 children’s brands, including its own house line La Di Da. “We made our own line of essential basics that can be layered under our favorite brands,” she describes. “At a price of $30 a set, they are very popular and will help little ones get into their new spring dresses a bit earlier without being cold.”

Upon arrival, each little customer is handed a snack and juice before watching a movie of their choice while parents sip tea and shop. “We treat our La Di Da kids like royalty,” Maurizi says. “And many of the mothers and grandmothers who shop here become not just clients but our friends.”