Wee Ones Takes a Bow!

Wee Ones has been a popular brand of accessories for over 37 years, and although it has grown, the brand stays true to its core business values and ability to provide the finishing touches through a number of trends, from classic to funky, formal to everyday. Wee Ones is optimistic for a bright future with new owners, and is focused on continued dedication to excellence and customer service. Here, Wee Ones shares a “wee bit” of its enduring success story. Take a bow, Wee Ones!

*When was your brand born, and what was the initial inspiration?

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The Wee Ones story is simple, and began in 1973 with a mom and her little girl. That’s when Barb Agatstein began making bows for her daughter, Betsy. You see, Betsy was born with a thick crop of unruly black hair, and in an effort to tame her mane, her mother created adorable barrettes and bows to hold those luscious locks in place! It became apparent that Barb’s designs were the “must have” of the neighborhood, and thus began the Wee Ones story. Today, mom and daughter are still involved in the day to day business operations. In fact, Barb is still designing and creating accessories with a traditional, yet trendy, flair. Recently, Barb received her twelfth distinguished “Earnie Award” for her creativity and design excellence in her field!

Over the years, Wee Ones has grown to be the premier provider of infant and girls’ hair accessories in the nation. Since its inception more than 30 years ago, the company has expanded its offerings to include flip-flops, hats, tote bags, belts and pacifier clips. There is also a line designed specifically for Tweens called Deidra and Kiki (www.deidraandkiki.com). From our simple beginnings to our successful operation today, Wee Ones has earned its place as the most recognized name in the children’s accessory industry!

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What was the biggest challenge you faced when starting?

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Keeping up with production as a rapidly growing small business.

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What do you feel are the three biggest keys to your success?

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Design, quality and supply chain. We offer a large selection of products in our Immediate Delivery Program, and an almost endless combination of accessory styles, colors and size options that can be custom made in 3 - 4 weeks.

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Describe a typical new product development cycle for your business?

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We release two product lines a year: Spring/Summer and Fall/Holiday. Our designers work tirelessly to create styles that are on trend. Periodically, our marketing group and sales associates meet to review the styles and make decisions about which designs to include in the final line. The team uses a wide variety of criteria, including color, size, product safety and manufacturability.

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Do “green” or eco-friendly concerns influence your business decisions?

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We’re always seeking new materials, and pay special attention to concepts and designs which are eco-friendly.

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What is one new trend you’re seeing in the marketplace?

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“Flower power” is making a comeback! Flowers of every color and material are very popular. We have found a way to bring the concept of “flower power” to our traditional grosgrain bows, with the introduction of our new Petals Collection, set to launch this month!

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What types of marketing have been most effective for your business?

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First and foremost, we make sure our brand is well presented at retail, using high-quality packaging components and display vehicles. In terms of marketing to our retailers, our print catalog has proven to be our best investment. We offer a comprehensive Fall/Holiday and Spring/Summer catalog, which is user friendly and eye appealing as well!

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How does your business make use of the Internet?

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Our Web site, www.weeones.com, has been a great way to reach the end consumer who is looking for something special or has not been able to find the product they want at our retail stores. Our retailers also find our Web site to be helpful in that we post new products and information, press and media releases, rep lists, and PDF versions of all of our catalogs and special promotions.

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What is the biggest challenge your business faces today?

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Keeping our prices competitive without compromising the Wee Ones quality.

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What is one change/addition that’s had a positive impact for your business in the last year?

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There has not been one specific change or addition this year, however we can attribute much of our success to our loyal employees and operations network. We are also excited about the coming year with our new owners, Miles and Gina Faust. The business and sales opportunities seem endless at Wee Ones, and Miles and Gina are eager to fuel new growth, without straying from our design quality and customer service.

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If you had one piece of advice for someone entering the children’s market, what would it be?

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Always take care of your customers, and help your existing customers stay HAPPY!

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About Wee Ones

Wee Ones, LLC is a manufacturer of premium hair bows, head bands, barrettes and other fashionable accessories for babies and little girls. Through the years, the company has grown to become one of the most recognized names in the children’s accessory business, and has been the recipient of numerous awards for design excellence. Wee Ones markets its products to a variety of boutiques, specialty stores and department stores in the United States and abroad. The company is based in St. Peters, Missouri.

For more information, visit www.weeones.com