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Austin BABY! celebrates grand opening on S. Lamar Blvd. May 2

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By Patrick Brendel Thursday, 09 April 2009

AUSTIN — For many moms, having a baby means putting a career on hold. For Erin Sheppard, it meant launching a new one.

After her firstborn arrived in 2005, Sheppard started selling cloth diapers out of her home to supplement her husband’s income. Four years later, Sheppard and co-owner Angela Abercrombie are planning a grand opening celebration May 2 for their brand-new Austin BABY! location at 701 S. Lamar Blvd.

Sheppard and Abercrombie translate their personal experience as mothers into practical assistance for their customers on how to care for their babies in a natural, environmentally sustainable fashion.

“Our motto is natural parenting for natural babies,” Sheppard said. “Being eco-friendly is just a part of that. A lot of it is about respecting the babies as individuals, to teach them from the beginning how to do things.”

In addition to several kinds of cloth diapers, the store carries items like baby carriers, toys, changing tables, organic bedding, strollers and car seats. The affiliated Austin Diaper Service (co-owned by Jorge Galindo) offers laundering and pick-up services for parents using cloth diapers.

“If you use cloth diapers, you are saving a ton of garbage from the landfill, literally,” Sheppard said.

Parents who are not looking to shop can come in to ask for advice or just let off a little steam.

“It’s a place where you can vent about being up at 3 a.m. with spit-up all over you and know that’s OK,” Sheppard said. “Parenting is very hard. We like for this to be a place where parents can breathe and be refreshed.”

The new 2,000-sq.ft. store seems built for that, with floor-to-ceiling windows letting in an abundance of sunshine. The use of natural lighting is also part of the owners’ efforts to be environmentally conscious. The small development in which the store sits is geared toward green-ness, with solar panels covering the buildings’ roofs. (The panels generate power for an office in the back of the development, apart from the baby store, Sheppard said.)

The new store is a far cry from Austin BABY!’s beginnings in Sheppard’s home, which she worked out of until February 2007, and 10 times bigger than the store’s first “official” location on Koenig Lane. In September 2007, Sheppard and Abercrombie transitioned to a location on West Mary Street, a move facilitated by micro-business incubator BiGAUSTIN. The organization gave them consulting and advice after they had been turned down several times for loans by banks.

“The biggest thing BiGAUSTIN did for us was take us seriously,” Sheppard said.

In line with their commitment to keeping things local, Sheppard and Abercrombie have booked Austin musicians, including Laura Freeman and Staci Gray, for their May 2 celebration. Area restaurant Thai Fresh will serve “toddler-friendly” dishes and other food, and Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop will offer vegan cupcakes.

“We’re so thankful for the way the community has responded to us,” Sheppard said. “This is like a party for them.”