Sisters Savannah Ivey, left, and Morgan Craig own The Baby Barn in Calypso.(Morgan Craig|Courtesy photo)
The Baby Barn is a boutique children’s clothing consignment shop in Calypso.(Morgan Craig|Courtesy photo)
The Baby Barn, in Calypso, is a consignment shop for high-end children’s clothing, with sizes ranging from newborn to 7/8.(Morgan Craig|Courtesy photo)
High-end children’s consignment shop The Baby Barn is located at 109 W. Trade St. in Calypso.(Kathy Grant Westbrook|mountolivetribune.com)
Sisters Morgan Craig, left, and Savannah Ivey, are all smiles in January at the opening of The Baby Barn at its original location in a modest storage shed at Ivey’s house.(Morgan Craig|Courtesy photo)
The Baby Barn, now located in Calypso, got its start in a 10’x16’ storage shed at Savannah Ivey’s home in Beautancus.(Morgan Craig|Courtesy photo)
Parents looking to score boutique clothing for their young children at non-boutique prices need look no further than Calypso. The Baby Barn, located at 109 W. Trade St., is a consignment shop filled with high-end children’s clothing and shoes at prices 40 to 75 percent off original retail, according to Grantham resident Morgan Craig, co-owner of the business along with her sister Savannah Ivey.
Ivey and Craig know good-quality, high-end children’s clothing when they see it. As young moms — Ivey, to sons Beau, almost 4, and Baylor, 16 months; and Craig, to daughter Marley, also 16 months — they’ve done their fair share of clothes shopping for their kids. And now they’re helping other parents shop, as well.
The Baby Barn was born just as Baby New Year was ushering in 2023. The sisters were watching TV in Ivey’s Beautancus home, waiting for the Times Square ball to drop, when Ivey suddenly suggested cleaning out her sons’ room. “So we started going through clothes right before midnight,” Craig remembers, and as they sorted through the expensive boutique clothes that were still in great condition, they decided, spur-of-the-moment, to consign them.
It wasn’t long before The Baby Barn opened, in a 10’ x 16’ shed, at Ivey’s home. By the end of February, they’d outgrown that space and began looking for something larger. After considering locations in Mount Olive and Faison, they settled on their current spot, in a building owned by Ralph Britt, opening in Calypso on March 27.
Of course, the business has moved well beyond the sisters selling just their own children’s clothes. On a recent day, an area behind the counter was filled with stacks of bags and large plastic storage bins filled with kids’ clothes that other parents had brought in for consignment. Ivey and Craig, along with their two employees, carefully inspect everything — paying attention to brand, condition, and cleanliness — before deciding which items they’re willing to accept and which to return to the owners. Items they choose to keep are tagged and displayed, and, once sold, 60 percent of the earnings go to the original owners, with The Baby Barn getting 40 percent.
The Baby Barn sells clothing and shoes for both boys and girls, in sizes ranging from newborn to approximately 7/8. Some of their most popular brands are: The Beaufort Bonnet Company, Vineyard Vines, Ricrac & Ruffles, Feltman Brothers, Magnolia Baby, Bailey Boys, and Mom & Me.
“It’s working out great,” Craig says of the venture. “We have steady foot traffic, but probably 90 to 95 percent of our sales come from Facebook.
“We’re really active on social media,” she adds. “We post daily, several times a day.” Items purchased online can be shipped or picked up at the shop.
In addition to clothes and shoes, The Baby Barn does occasionally carry other items. “We have limited accessories,” Craig notes. “We’ve taken a couple car seats, a couple swings — nice brands — but they sell really quick on Facebook.”
Because Craig and Ivey are moms themselves, they know what it’s like to try to shop with young children in tow, so they’ve created a special “kids’ corner” at the front of the shop, with a basket filled with toys, and a TV that is usually tuned in to Ms. Rachel, a YouTuber who’s known in the kiddie world for her engaging music. “People come in here, usually mamas, and their kids are entertained the whole time,” Craig says. “They literally get to shop kid-free, and their kids are right behind them playing.”
For online shopping, go to The Baby Barn on Facebook. For in-person shopping, the store is currently operating on a summer schedule, open Tuesday and Thursday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Starting September 1, the shop will return to regular hours, Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
