From operating a child care center in Jefferson City, Paula Stallings knew there was a need for maternity clothes in the Mid-Missouri area. When her daughter became pregnant and asked Stallings to help her find clothes, the lack of options became too obvious to ignore.
Stallings wants to fill that void by offering clothes that flex throughout pregnancies, giving customers a bump in confidence.
Stallings' new store, Bump Boutique, will open Monday at 312 Stadium Blvd. in Jefferson City.
The boutique will sell new and secondhand maternity clothes, including jeans, shorts, shirts, dresses, swimsuits and bras. The shop will also sell diaper bags and offer maternity photo shoot dresses customers can rent.
Stallings emphasized customers will be able to try on clothes at the store instead of relying on online shopping.
"What I was hearing was, 'Well, I got this online, ordered it and it didn't fit,'" she said. "You had to try it on when it got there, not when you went to the store to put it on and take it home. It's those little things, I think, that do make a difference."
Flexibility is key for maternity clothes, Stallings said. Many of the dresses and tops at Bump Boutique have elastic on the sides so women can continue to grow in the clothes.
"You don't have to go up two or three sizes to make sure something fits," she said. "You can pick the typical size you normally would wear, but you can keep growing. It's not one-size-fits-all."
Those wanting to sell their maternity clothes to Bump Boutique can call Stallings at 573-893-9988.
Stalling said she's most excited to help women find clothes that fit and boost their confidence.
"You want to feel good in whatever it is you're wearing, so I feel like that's my goal - for women that are going to have a baby, whether it be the first trimester or the third, that they're feeling confident in what they're wearing," she said.
The store will be open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays.
Stallings wanted to open the store in March, but the coronavirus pandemic forced her to push back the opening date. She has also struggled to find manufacturers from the United States that make maternity clothes.
"I had a majority of my stuff set and ready to go by the end of March, but it's just been the waiting game," she said.
That extra time gave Stallings a chance to renovate the store.
The room that used to have white tiles and brightly colored walls now has vinyl ash wood flooring and gray walls, accenting the colorful maternity clothes and bags.
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