First look: Mum Abbie opens new baby boutique

A new mum is helping to make shopping for newborns and tiny tots easier with the opening of her new shop.

Abbie Cook will follow in her family’s footsteps to own her own business when The Baby Boutique opens in Broad Street on Monday.

The 25-year-old began running the business from home but with the encouragement of her mum Sarah took the leap to open a shop selling pre-loved and new clothing, accessories and toys.

Before the birth of her first child in January, Abbie had a baby reveal to remember as she and her whole family found out she would be having a baby boy by way of blue smoke emitted from car tyres.

Abbie, who is mum to 10 month old Boe, said: “It is exciting, it feels like I’m joining the small empire. I cannot wait.

“I started putting the clothes on Facebook and mum said why not have your own shop and I said ‘let’s do it’.”

“I want it to be a destination.”

“I had the baby reveal and I’ve had Boe and now I have the shop, it feels a nice circle.

“I hope people will want to come in. I have had really good response on Facebook, people have been tagging all the mums and because I am a mum I can talk about things and suggest what they need.”

The family have spent the last month refurbishing the former Frockalious shop to open in time for Monday.

Popular names like Joules, Jo Jo Maman will be stocked as well as international brands such as Moulin Roty and organic clothing from Piccalilly.

Abbie says since launching the business she is also being approached by brands interested in being stocked.

She also hopes to run monthly ‘mum nights’ with guest speakers and events to give mums the night off to meet and talk.

Helping out in the shop will be mum Sarah who will share looking after baby Boe.

Sarah said: “We felt there is such a need for something like what we are doing.

“There is nowhere you can buy good quality second hand nearby apart from Exeter.

“There are lots of new estates being built around here.

“We have worked every single hour god sent. It’s been all hands to the pump.

“It is very exciting. Abbie will be the drive. She has a great vision and great ideas.”

The grand opening will be midday to 4pm on Monday.