One of my favorite local children’s stores is ANTHILL.! I shop there all the time for my girls. Owned by a mother of three, she knows what moms want and need. She has the most interesting eye… she buys everything which means you WILL find something for your littles no matter what they are into, boys and girls alike of all ages. Now, that is hard to do.
As a busy mom (is there any other kind?), I love that I know on the way to birthday parties I can pop in and grab a (good) gift and have it wrapped in a jiffy (fun fact: she has Meri Meri paper). I also love the variety of brands she carries. Her lines are not like anywhere else in town, especially not in once place and some of the stuff I could only ever get online or while shopping in NYC like Manuela de Juan shoes from Spain. Love.
Not only is this a one stop shop from everything you can imagine (newborn gear, bikes and skateboards, sleeping bags, shoes, clothes, dress up costumes, swim, but she also has really fun activities in the store to keep the kids busy while you shop like vending machines filled with candy, jewelry +nail polish to light up arcade dolphins.
What does The Art of Being Female mean to you?
When I think about what The Art of Being Female means to me the first words that come to mind are loving, loyal, caring, courageous, beautiful, thoughtful, articulate, wise, gentle and fierce. It’s a mother that gives best to her children, a loving wife & best friend to her partner, a strong & confident yet still feminine & sensitive woman.
I shop at ANTHILL all the time for my girls, you have brands that I used to only be able to get in NYC and now I have them in my backyard. What are you looking for in a product when you’re searching for new brands?
I very much believe that price and quality must correspond and match when purchasing product. I’m sure some people might think that we carry brands that seem higher in price but that’s because the quality is there, whether it’s organic and/or made in Europe or USA. With that said though, we try to find a variety of pieces that cater to all price points and that respect fair trade and give back. I try to pick everyday to special occasion pieces that are wearable & comfortable, yet last and make you feel special.
I love that you have every category covered from bath toys to baby dolls to scooters and bikes to jewelry and party supplies. Tell us about your new party store and bakery opening soon?
We just had our grand opening for Edward Hill Bakery party N beyond and are thrilled about how much our customers love this concept! It’s only a few stores down from AntHill shopNplay so it makes really easy for everyone to visit!
The idea came to me to have a one-stop store for all your party needs due to how popular our party supplies & décor became at AntHill so we decided to take it one step further and focus on offering everything in one place! We offer all party décor and supplies sorted by theme, piñatas plus all the candy to go inside it, specialty cakes (vegan and GF options), popsicles, goody bags, toys, pretend play and costumes. You can also stop by to enjoy a quick treat or a coffee on the go!
What should our AOBF followers know about coming to AntHill?
We are a lifestyle family concept store, where every member of the family can find something for any budget. We also love to cater to the kids by having rides and a mining station that they can enjoy while you shop. Not only do we have gifts for any occasion, but also specialize in beautiful gift wrapping and can inflate your party balloons if needed.
We are open seven days a week and with summer around the corner, we have everything imaginable for your trip to the beach or party by the pool. Our hope is that you enjoy the store as much as we do!
Your style is very eclectic personally and for the store, you are also a Russian from Switzerland, so you have a very global approach. How would you say being from outside the US influences your buy?
My background & style has a huge influence on my selection of pieces I bring into the store. I am very proud to bring an international influence while purchasing product because I wanted to create a unique experience for my customers with exceptional pieces that you couldn’t find anywhere else. I also feel it’s important to understand the needs of my customers and wanted to be sure I catered to their requests as well!
What was your inspiration to open a children’s store?
My children were my inspiration. I always had difficulty finding cute, stylish and comfortable clothing for my three boys- if they were stylish, they were not comfortable & if they were comfortable, they were not stylish. That’s when the idea hit me, to create a place where everyone could find quality pieces and where families can shop together and find anything for any budget.
You are a “boy mom” – three boys:) What are your favorite toys and brands for each of your sons and boys in general?
My boys are at an age where they don’t play with toys unless it involves some sort of technology, so I’ve made sure to curate a great selection of those types of toys in -store. As far as clothing, their favorites are Loud Apparel, Kid Dangerous, Art & Eden, Mini Shiatsu, Wow Capaw but we have lots of beautiful brands for boys!
What are your top selling items?
For infants, Moms like to choose items that are comfortable and cozy. Some of our best-selling brands currently are Kissy Kissy, Sweet Bamboo and Magnetic Me which happen to be my favorite as well!
For toddlers and up, I would say it’s Hux Baby, Tiny Cottons and Rock your Baby.
My best-selling brands for girls are Petite Hailey and Lola and for boys it would be brands like Paul Smith, Indikidual and Nanadelasaz.
This season we are excited to introduce a few new brands from Europe specializing in sizes 10-16 years old. This age can be difficult for parents to shop, so we decided to try to make that task a little easier by offering brands that specialize in teens.
ANTHILL shopNplay
1800 Newport Blvd.
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
949.612.7496
info@anthillshop.com
Mon – Thurs, 10am – 6pm
Fri – Sat, 10am – 8pm
Sunday, 9:30am – 4pm