Winter 2010

Success with Clicks and Bricks By Melissa Kellogg

Following the Customers

While working at Saks Fifth Avenue and Ballard Designs, KooKoo Bear Baby & Kids’ founders Trace Walsh and Tara Mediate saw a need for an online store and catalog that featured children’s furniture, bedding and accessories; the online business was born in 2003.

Soon customers began showing up at the warehouse address listed on their catalog wanting to shop in person. “We weren’t set up for customers,” says Joe Mediate, vice president of sales and marketing, “we were in a warehouse.” As a result of customer demand they decided to have an annual sample sale in their warehouse and had hundreds of people show up. The second year of the sale about 700 people showed up and they had to have the police direct traffic and help park cars.

Following the success of the annual sale, Mediate says, “we were dragged kicking and screaming to open a retail store.” They first opened an outlet store but customers wanted to shop their full inventory so last April, they opened the doors of their 8,000-square-foot flagship store. KooKoo Bear Baby & Kids carries designer furniture, bedding, clothing and gifts for children and babies.

As an online-only store, Mediate says it was always a challenge to stand out among all the other websites. They spent a great deal of time and money to optimize the website and get listed on page one of a Google search.

Having the brick-and-mortar store has added credibility to the online store, Mediate says. It’s easier to sell to customers who come in the store although having the larger overhead costs is a challenge, says Mediate. He says that so far they feel that the store is successful because people are coming to shop.

Melissa Kellogg

Kellogg is a freelance writer specializing in mountain home and living trends, marketing, real estate and business. She is based in Edwards, CO, and is a regular contributor to Mountain House & Home magazine. Her work has also been published in various newspapers and magazines, such as Beaver Creek Magazine and the Vail Daily.