First, Let me simply say "Welcome to SproutGear.com"! We hope you love our adorable & unique boutique as much as we do! We are so excited to share this adventure with you.
It all started here in Tampa, Florida a few years ago, right after the home builder company I worked for downsized due to the housing decline. At the time of the layoff, I was pregnant with our first child. Despite my efforts, no one was eager to hire a very pregnant woman, even with extensive Marketing & PR background. I grew discouraged with the interview process in that I would have great interviews but as soon as they learned of my pregnancy, the opportunities suddenly came to a halt. I quickly learned that I needed to find a job that would offer a positive work/ life balance, allowing me to excel in both being a great mom & a successful business women. Even back then, I knew someday I would have my own business, where I could balance both with great success!
Shortly after the layoff, I had Brady - my son. My intention had always been to go back to work, but things can change in an instant. My son wound up going into the hospital at two months old, and staying there for the next month. The threat of losing a child really changed me forever in terms of my priorities & career goals. The doctors never identified the nasty illness my son suffered, only that it was a serious viral infection that completely attacked his digestive tract. After that traumatic ordeal, I could not leave him ~ my world changed forever. I knew more than ever that nothing in life is more fragile than life itself and that nothing in my life was more important to me than getting my son healthy and keeping him that way.
My husband and I made the choice that I would stay home to care for him and the early ideas for Sproutgear began to sprout. Sproutgear's launch was once again temporarily derailed, only this time for a happier occasion ~ the birth of my daughter, Olivia. Finally with two very young & active children always on the go, SproutGear finally took flight and we have never looked back! Combining my love of children's fashion along with my diverse background in fashion retail & merchandising, marketing and print promotional advertising from time spent at Polo Ralph Lauren Children’s wear, Little Me, The S. Schwab Co., Parisian/ Saks Incorporated ~ the vision of this online boutique began to flourish!
We hope you will find the items here as much fun as we do! Our goal is to take our winning combination of skills & our commitment to great customer service to make Sproutgear "the" shopping destination for all your little sprout's unique gifts, gear and clothing needs! I love finding those truly special items for babies, kids and parents that can't be found in every department store. Sproutgear's goal is to maintain a "mom & pop" boutique store mentality in that the customer always comes first. Going the extra mile is the standard here at Sproutgear, not the exception. We would love to hear from you! Our boutique is constantly "sprouting" with new items. We offer truly fun and whimsical products ~ capturing the innocence and youthful fun spirit of a child’s imagination and curiosity as they explore their world around them.
Welcome once again to Sproutgear.com! ~ Carrie
"Kids go where there is excitement. They stay where there is love." ~ Zig Ziglar
