Bag some Bargains for Baby.
New parents Leanne and Steve Taylor explain how they realised that selling pre-loved baby items is a winner for the planet as well as your pocket. When Leanne and Steve Taylor welcomed their newborn son into the world, they soon discovered how expensive it can be for new parents, like all babies, little Quincy needed more new clothes and toys as he grew, which can work out pretty pricey in these tough economic times.
However, 22 months and a completely different continent later, and the couple have not only found a solution to the problem – they’ve made a business out of it.
Leanne, originally hails from Australia, which is where she and Steve were living when little Quincy came along, But in January 2010, thefamily headed to the UK for a new life in Reading, Berkshire– with their two dogs and a cat in tow – to launch a business in event management.
And little Quincy’s needs turned out to be their inspiration.
“We have always dreamt of setting up our own business but never had the chance to make it a reality,” Leanne explains.
“After our son was born and spending 18 months on maternity leave, we found out as first-time parents how quickly babies develop and grow out of their clothes, toys and accessories.
“While living in Brisbane and on our travels abroad, we discovered a few local markets specialising in pre-loved baby and children’s goods, which enabled us to buy quality items for our son without costing us a fortune.
“This is where we got the idea of recreating a similar business but on a much larger scale in the UK.”
The couple, who now live in Reading, spent a little time researching the UK market and discovered a needfor a regular baby and children’s market with a large range of baby andchildren’s goods all under one roof.
And so Baby and Children’s Market UK was born.
Mums and dads can book a stall to sell their baby and children’s goods and they take 100 per cent of the profits on the day.Local businesses can also book a stall to showcase their products for the parent and baby market – be it essential homewares, skincare treats or some handmade jewellery for mum.
“During the newborn stage, we didn’t want to spend thousands on new baby goods, knowing he would grow out of them so quickly and we could see a real value in recycling,” says Leanne.
“We felt other mums and dads would feel the same – they want to save money, reduce waste and recycle if they could rely on a regular market with quality, pre-loved baby and children’sgoods at bargain prices.
“We feel the markets are meetinga real need among parents, especially during these tough economic times. Plus growing concerns about sustainability makes the baby and children’s market evenmore relevant.
“Our main goal is to provide parents a regular fun morning of bargain hunting. It also supports our local businesses by allowing them to display and sell their new products and services.“It’s an opportunity for parents to mix with other mums and dads – and we can’t forget the children!”
Starting off with two markets in Reading & Berkshire the couple quickly reached capacity and decided to branch out and help mums and dads across the country set up their own markets. The company now has 16 Franchisees on board covering areas from Kingston on Thames to Bristol and the Isle of Wight to Cirencester.We think the business can work for anyone with the motivation, and a real belief that this can benefit their local community.
They are currently looking to take the brand further north in England and welcome anyone who may be interested in this opportunity to jump on the Webiste and find out more.“We don’t know how big this can get, but weknow it’s a great concept people will love, and we are certainly up for the challenge of pushing ahead and seeing how far we can take it.”
If you are a Mum or Dad with a young family that want to save some money, but still want to provide high
quality toys, books clothes and accessories for your young children then why not find an event near you. www.babyandchildrensmarket.co.uk
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