KAROL LEGGETT started sewing custom children’s clothes for Kidz Closet, located in Vestavia Hills, before buying the shop in 2007 and changing the name to Kidz Closet & More. In addition to a large variety of consignment clothes for children of all ages, the shop also offers a custom clothing line, Kidz Closet Designs, as well as gifts and on-site monogramming.

ALABAMA BABY & CHILD: Can you tell us a little about your family?
KAROL LEGGET: [I’ve been] married 11 years to Creg Leggett, and have two daughters, Emma (9) and Tessa (7).

ABC: Where were you born and what part of town do you live in now?
KL: [I was] born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and attended Troy University. I moved to Birmingham in 1996, and have lived in Vestavia since 2000.

ABC: Can you give us a brief history of Kidz Closet?
KL: Before I owned the store it was mainly consignment, with monogramming and small gifts items. After I purchased the store I expanded it from 1,200 square feet to over 3,000 square feet. We improved the quality of the consignment clothing, and began accepting teen and maternity consignment as well. We added new clothing and gifts for moms, teens, and children of all ages, as well as a custom clothing line that is exclusive to Kidz Closet & More. We continue to do on-site monogramming and appliqués, and added more toys and birthday gift items to the store, as well as children’s shoes. We
pride ourselves on listening to what our customers want and do our best to find these items at the best price.

ABC: What do you hope your customers take away from the store?
KL: We want our customers to find a unique store that meets their needs. We want to offer the customer who is consigning their clothing a fast and easy consignment process, where they can make the most for their clothing. We also want the shopper to find excellent consignment clothing at a fair price, in a clean, easy to manage store.

ABC: What’s your favorite item you carry?
KL: That’s a tough one . . . for kids, it would have to be our new Monkey Toe Shoes, and for Mom it would have to be our Reverse-a-Purse.

ABC: If you didn’t own the store what would you be doing?
KL: Probably own some other kind of store, or helping other store owners to grow their business.

ABC: What’s your favorite place to eat in Birmingham?
KL: Sekisui Sushi in Vestavia City Center.

ABC: What’s your favorite app or internet resource?
KL: Facebook—it’s the only way I have time to keep up with friends.

Kidz Closet & More
640 Montgomery Hwy
Birmingham, AL 35216
(205) 979-0707
www.kidzclosetonline.com

Photo by Laura Player

Because the pace of change seems ever to increase in the modern age, the few institutions that manage to endure become even more beloved. That’s certainly the case with Sikes Children’s Shoes in Homewood. Owner Frank Youngs has been with Sikes selling children’s shoes since 1968. He has served generations of children, and continues the store’s original mission of providing quality shoes that are fitted properly (Sikes is one of the few children’s shoes stores left that actually measures a child’s feet and fit them with shoes).

Nick Peters and Fred Sikes opened the shop, then called Sikes & Peters’ Shoes, in 1955. The original shop was located next door to its present location, selling shoes for all ages, until Peters left the business in 1959. Sikes changed the name of the store to Sikes’ Shoes and began selling only children’s shoes.The hallmark of the shop was personal attention and a proper fit.

A few years after the store opened, Sikes’ Shoes moved into a new, larger retail space that opened next door. Mr. Sikes recognized an opportunity to increase traffic to his store by joining forces with a nearby children’s clothing retailer, Jack n’ Jill Shop, then located across 18th Street. He approached the owners, Eddie and Jeanette Burman, with his idea of moving Jack n’ Jill into the space next to his, and sweetened the deal by offering to build a doorway from his shop to theirs inside his store. The Burmans agreed and moved Jack n’ Jill across the street next door to Sikes Children’s Shoes, creating a sort of “one-stop shop” for local parents. To this day, the stores remain neighbors.

Sikes’ daughter Nancy met Frank Youngs while attending the University of Alabama. Youngs grew up in the Norwood and College Hills areas of Birmingham, where he attended Woodrow Wilson School, McElwain Elementary, and Shades Valley High School before enrolling in the University of Alabama, where he earned a degree in marketing and advertising. Youngs and Nancy Sikes married in 1962, and Mr. Sikes asked Youngs to join the family shoe business. In 1968, Mr. Sikes and Youngs opened Sikes & Youngs’ Shoes in Vestavia Hills, which Youngs operated. When the shop’s sign needed to be replaced, Youngs suggested changing the name to Sikes Children’s Shoes, which he thought would better communicate to potential customers that the store only sold shoes for children. In the late 1960s the store’s name officially became Sikes Children’s Shoes.

Youngs bought the Homewood Sikes location from Sikes’ son Wayne in 1991. In 1993, Youngs closed the Vestavia Hills location, feeling that the two stores were too close and drew customers from the same areas of Birmingham. In 2002, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Blitz, who owned the Jack n’ Jill Shop, decided to retire and sold their store to Youngs. Youngs says he bought the Jack n’ Jill Shop because he didn’t want any other type of business moving in next door to the shoe store. Plus, with the interior doorway from one store to another, it made sense that the same person should own both stores.

Youngs has led a full and fulfilling life, raising four sons with Nancy, and later becoming stepfather to a son and daughter when he married his wife Karen. He now has two grandchildren and three step-grandchildren to keep him busy, but continues to work in the store, no longer fitting shoes, but telling riddles and performing yo-yo tricks for the newest generation of customers. Laura Player, manager of Jack n’ Jill, who has worked for Youngs for 21 years, says, “Not many stores can say that they have third and fourth generation customers shopping with them. In fact, it’s quite a tradition for families to stop by Jack n’ Jill, purchase an outfit, head to Sikes Children’s Shoes for their matching shoes, and swing into Savage’s Bakery for lunch or a special treat.”

Sonya Yarborough, manager of Sikes Children’s Shoes, says, “Frank is so passionate about maintaining the tradition that we have of being a “sit-and-fit” store that gives awesome customer service. He loves to interact with the children and it brings such joy to him to meet people out in the community that he fit in shoes as children. He is truly one of a kind.”

Sikes Children’s Shoes
2920 18th Street South
Homewood, AL 35209
205-879-3433

Jack n’ Jill Shop
2918 18th Street South
Homewood, AL 35209
205-879-7681

Flaherty got her start making custom linens for nurseries, which she turned into a business called Nursery Décor. She was studying interior design at Southern Institute at the same time, and as part of her class work, was one of a group of students who designed a twin’s nursery for the 1994 Decorator’s Showhouse. While working on the nursery, she saw an advertisement for a European crib she thought would be perfect for the project. She imported two Simon Horn Cots (as they are called in Europe) for the room, and after the success of the Showhouse, took the cribs to a consignment shop to sell. The first one sold within two hours, and the second shortly thereafter. The shop owner wanted more of the cribs, and so began Flaherty’s 10-year career as the exclusive American representative and importer for Simon Horn Furniture.

Despite her success with Simon Horn Furniture, Flaherty felt a new dream flickering to life. So she started researching opening a children’s shop. She was put in contact with Merrill McCullough, who became her partner in Once upon a time, LLC. A year after opening the shop, the pair purchased The Heirloom Shop in Crestline, and six months later, agreed to separate the business. “Merrill preferred the clothing and took The Heirloom Shop, and I preferred the design end so I took Once Upon a Time, LLC,” says Flaherty.

Once upon a time became a family endeavor in 2005 when Flaherty’s daughter Sarah began working with her, and in 2009, became a partner. That was a big year for the mother and daughter as they expanded the business and opened a second location in Homewood.

Alabama Baby & Child: Can you tell us a little about your family?
LINDA FLAHERTY: I am the second of four girls, and am married to Matthew Joseph Flaherty, Jr. In November we will celebrate 42 years of marriage. We have two daughters: Julie-Ann and Sarah. Jules, as I call her, is our oldest. She is a teacher and lives with her husband Leo in Waltham, Massachusetts (I miss her terribly!) Sarah is our youngest and also a partner with me in the business. She and her husband Michael live in Birmingham with their three children, Jay (4), Parker (soon to be 3), and William (6 weeks). I thank God for these blessings every day.

ABC: What is it like to work with your daughter?
LF: As a parent I have always been proud of my children and their accomplishments, but it wasn’t until Sarah and I started working together that I actually saw her as an adult. She has brought new ideas and energy to the business, and is a real partner in every sense of the word.

ABC: What is your favorite thing about being a retailer?
LF: The diversity of my business is what keeps me passionate about being a retailer. Whether it is designing custom linens, selecting product at market, changing the floor and window displays, or registering a customer for shower gifts, I love it all! I know our customers have many choices to shop for baby things, so I am very grateful to have the opportunity to work with them at a time so that is so important in their lives. It is the satisfaction and smile on customer faces that make it all worthwhile.

Crestline Village
201 Country Club Park
Mountain Brook, AL
(205) 870-7772

Homewood Central District
2900 18th Street South
Homewood, AL 35209
(205) 870-777

onceuponatimellc.com