By Kathryn Peck
Many people have asked me this since our launch a few months ago. Some raise an eyebrow at the name; others question the introduction of another online boutique.
This isn’t my first go-around starting and running a small business. I started a children’s boutique in Boston years ago. (It’s still there!) But when I developed the concept for Bicycle Pie, I’ll admit, it was self-serving.
I’m a mom of four young children and often turn to the internet for everything from kids’ clothes and gift ideas to answers for the most common and not-so-common child-related questions. I’d search for recommended beginner chapter books, for instance, narrow it down, then have to turn to another resource to buy them. Why can’t I find all this in one place? I wondered.
I’m a mom of four young children and often turn to the internet for everything from kids’ clothes and gift ideas to answers for the most common and not-so-common child-related questions ... Why can’t I find all this in one place? I wondered.
And what do I want in a website? Well, I made a list of all the things I’d googled in a week:
Toddler bad breath
7-year-old girl gift ideas
Interchangeable child art
Raspberry pancakes recipe
Teething milestones
Best girl roller skates
Appropriate age Fortnite
Little kid vs. big kid shoe size
Kids snack ideas
Protein kids alternatives
Shoe storage ideas (ok, this one was for me!)
Kid friendly soup recipes
What I wanted was a trusted source to answer to my questions above, to help me with ideas for kids’ meals or rainy day activities, book recommendations for my kids, and gift ideas. I wanted to know that what would arrive at my door wouldn’t be broken when I opened the box like they often are, that the pages wouldn’t be already ripped, and the gift wrapping I paid for would be special.
And let’s face it, parenting can be lonely. I wanted to build a sense of community, so many of us share a common ground with little ones in our lives.
This is Bicycle Pie. It’s an open-ended book right now. And the name? That’s a story for another time.
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About the author: Kathryn is the owner of Bicycle Pie and mom of 4 little ones. Also a writer, editor, and former owner of one of Boston's premiere baby boutiques, she continues to write about motherhood, children's products, family life, and all other things that test our skills and patience as parents.
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