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EDWARDSVILLE - After Clarinda Martin had twins, she noticed the lack of children’s clothing in Edwardsville.
Martin decided to open Charlie Rae Children’s Boutique to bring more children’s clothing options to the Metro East area. The boutique took off online and now, with a storefront located at 100 N. Main Street in Edwardsville, Charlie Rae is thriving. Martin couldn’t be prouder of the business she has built.
“The community has really accepted us,” she said.
Martin started the online boutique when she decided to stay home with her kids during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The first few months were difficult, and Martin remembers feeling lost when she only made one or two sales.
“I don’t recommend owning a business to anyone. It’s stressful,” she said. “I cried a lot and it was just really stressful because it was like, either I have really bad taste in the clothes I’m picking and nobody else likes them, or there’s also the competition. I’m competing with all these other online stores, too. And it’s like, maybe this just isn’t the right industry for me.”
Martin and her husband decided to focus on marketing and “go big or go home.” They purchased Google and Facebook ads, and they began to see a return on their investment. With every dollar they spent on advertising, Charlie Rae sold double.
The store’s online success convinced Martin and her husband to look for brick-and-mortar locations in Edwardsville. They found the “perfect corner” at 100 N. Main Street last year, and the boutique expanded.
The company sells a variety of clothing for kids, toddlers and infants, as well as t-shirts for moms and grandmothers. They also have plenty of accessories for all ages. They see a lot of customers who come in to find clothing for family pictures, and others who want matching mom-and-me outfits.
Whatever you’re looking for, Martin noted that quality is the priority at Charlie Rae. She explained that bamboo clothing is more popular these days as parents search for clothing that won’t irritate their children’s skin. If Martin buys a product that isn’t as high-quality as she thought, she refuses to sell it.
“Parents nowadays really want better-made products,” she said. “I think people would be surprised to know that there’s a lot of stuff in my basement that I have bought that I don’t like the quality of, so I won’t sell it. I’m just going to be stuck with it because I don’t want to put it out there for people to buy and then be disappointed in.”
Martin’s sense of humor shines through in the clothes she sells. She noted that her “Post Malone for President” t-shirts have been popular so far this election season, and her adult clothing usually features jokes or funny quips that moms can relate to.
In addition to selling clothes, the business hosts a few events throughout the year to offer some fun for parents. They’re planning a “blue jean jacket bar” where patrons can come and decorate their own jean jackets. Charlie Rae also participates in local events, including the Cookie Walk, throughout Edwardsville.
As Charlie Rae Children’s Boutique continues to grow, Martin can’t wait to see what will come next for her business. She encourages people to stop in to the store or visit their official website at CharlieRae.com or Facebook page for more information.
“It was perfect timing,” Martin added. “The friendships that have come out of it, whether it’s the girls that I work with or the employees that have become friends that I talk to — I think that’s been the best part of it.”
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