Mom and pop take over children's store

Date AddedJuly 31, 2009 12:24:26 PM

Author

By Katie Curley
Staff writer

NEWBURYPORT - Kate Russell Hosein had grown up in Newburyport and was a frequent customer at the Children's Orchard downtown, buying clothes for her 20-month-old son, Ethan.

"I had been looking for a Halloween costume for Ethan over a year ago," Russell Hosein said, noting her mother told her to stop in to Children's Orchard. "I found one I had seen in magazines for $40 and only paid $6."

From there, Russell Hosein was hooked on the idea of Children's Orchard and reusing other mom's hand-me-downs. She liked the store so much, she decided to buy it.

Russell Hosein and her husband, Shiraz Hosein, recently bought the downtown shop, a 30-year-old staple on Merrimac Street and the first store of the franchise opened by Newburyport resident Karen Lynch.

The Hoseins, who now live in Bradford, had been interested in opening a new Children's Orchard location and had been in talks with the franchise, now based in Michigan, when they heard there was an opportunity to take over the store in Newburyport.

"We jumped at the opportunity," Russell Hosein said. "It was a no-brainer; my mom had shopped there, I shopped there, and my family is from Newburyport."

Three weeks into ownership, the Hoseins say the change has been the perfect fit for their lives.

Russell Hosein was formerly a financial asset manager at a Boston firm, and her husband has been unemployed after being laid off in April. The availability of the store came at a perfect time for them as they also yearned to spend more time with their son.

The store's focus on reuse was also something the Hoseins hoped to instill in the local community.

"The whole aspect of recycling means a lot to me and my husband as well," Russell Hosein said. "We have beautiful, barely worn clothing, shoes and plastic toys. It means less items in the landfills. Anything people can reuse is a better route."

The majority of the items sold at Children's Orchard are gently used, including toys and infant equipment, such as swings and strollers.

"We have plastic toys that are still in working condition and haven't been recalled," she said. "It's a great thing for people who don't have people to give them or donate to rather than throw them away and have them sit in a landfill for 40 years."

Another change at Children's Orchard will be an increase in sizes. Russell Hosein hopes to bring more customers into her store by now carrying sizes up to size 12 rather than the previous size 8.

Children's Orchard will also now have "walk-in buying," where people can come in with up to two full bags of clothing and have it processed within 20 minutes. The store will give people cash for the items as well as a 30 percent off store credit.

"We are trying to cater to busy moms and dads," Russell Hosein said. "We've always had a good customer base, so if things aren't broke, we won't fix it. Mark and Jane (previous owners) did a great business here."

Russell Hosein urges new customers to come in to see what Children's Orchard has to offer.

"We donate to charity three times a week things we haven't sold," Russell Hosein said. "It's a good way to keep things fresh.