The proud proprietor of Seedlings Children’s Boutique in Kenwood has lined up her colorful and enticing merchandise into neat little rows one would expect to find in a well-planned vegetable garden. Leslie Cotchett opened the tidy shop on Nov. 15 in a cozy space within the Kenwood Farmhouse out on Highway 12. A somewhat accidental, but nevertheless gifted retailer, Cotchett views her new enterprise as a calling.
When Cotchett adopted her daughter Abi, who is now 5 years old, she became interested in product safety. Cotchett threw herself into research so that she could find toys and clothing for Abi that were made of safe materials and fabrics. The single parent found these quests both challenging and rewarding. After dear friend and Swede’s Feeds owner Aspen Mayers mentioned to Cotchett she was planning to open another store, an idea started to germinate.
“Five months ago I wouldn’t have guessed I’d be the owner of my own store, but everything just fell into place,” said Cotchett, as she refolded beautiful hand-stitched blankets displayed in an antique crib. “It is important to me to offer unique merchandise that is hand-crafted, well-made, and safe. There’s been a shift in consciousness and people are interested in items that are fair trade and [made from] organic materials.”
Seedlings stocks fair trade stuffed animals and finger puppets handmade for The Playful World by a Peruvian women’s collective. The adorable finger puppets include cows, giraffes, tigers, snakes, and squirrels ($11). The collection of the store’s Plan Toys, most made of certified organic rubberwood, includes the Pull-along Snake or Pull-along Alligator ($19), Riding Tilly, which is a bobbing cat in a car ($13), and Walk N’ Roll, an upright vacuum cleaner for toddlers ($30).
Sonoma resident Cheryl Braswell makes the incredibly creative quilts, which Seedlings is thrilled to offer. The one-of-a-kind, 4-foot-square quilts were either cleverly named by their creators or nicknamed by Cotchett – Purple Haze, Magic Meadow, which is embellished by stencils of golden dragonflies, and Sock Monkey, with said primate featured in the center of the quilt – would make a wonderful addition to any nursery or child’s room (prices start at $300).
A new display case was bought to house Seedlings’ collection of books, and its recent arrival prompted Cotchett to rethink the space. She moved the cash register station to the front of the store next to its welcoming entrance, so that the bookcase would be more prominently featured. Books are important to Cotchett and she strives to stock her shop with books that reflect her values.
“I look for multi-cultural books that empower kids, are well-written, and beautifully illustrated,” explained Cotchett, while placing a selection of books about everything from grandmothers to pirates upon the honey-toned wood shelves. “I come from a long line of people interested in books, including three librarians and my grandfather, who was a curator of rare books, so I’m very excited about getting books in the hands of children.”
This spring, Cotchett plans to utilize an outdoor space behind her shop to sell outdoor toys and furniture. She excitedly described a toddler-sized table and chair grouping, which she recently came across, that is in the shape of toadstools. Like most of the items in her shop, the merchandise will be unique and manufactured in a manner that is environmentally friendly.
“This doesn’t feel like work, because there is so much joy working with children,” said Cotchett, who was happy to transition from nursing to retail. “As a hospice nurse, I worked for a long time with people at the end of their lives, and now I’m working with little ones at the beginning of their lives.”
Seedlings Children’s Boutique, 9255 Hwy. 12, Kenwood; 707.833.5437. Open Wednesday-Friday 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
