Adeline’s Room, a baby boutique that markets itself as a learning community for modern families, opened in downtown Evanston this fall.
The store, located at 602 Davis St. in September, features baby products and classes for new mothers as well as clothes, carriers, bath products, breast-feeding supplies and toys. The inventory is determined based on customer suggestions and product reviews, founder and manager Christine Kim said.
She said opening the store is fulfilling her goal of helping mothers.
“I have a huge respect for moms,” Kim said. “At this particular point in time, women have a hard time starting families because they’re so far away from their own families. We don’t have the sort of community that generations before us has had, so (Adeline’s Room) is designed to help women in that transition.”
Kim said her goal of creating a welcoming place for mothers is reflected in the name of her store, which is an homage to author Virginia Woolf’s “A Room of One’s Own.” Located near Whole Foods Market, 1640 Chicago Ave., and Peet’s Coffee and Tea, 1622 Chicago Ave., the store is convenient for families, she said.
“If parents need a place to regroup while they’re running errands, then this is a welcoming space for them,” Kim said.
Carolyn Dellutri, executive director of Downtown Evanston, said she is pleased with the new store’s presence.
“We think Adeline’s Room is a great addition to the business of downtown Evanston,” said Dellutri, who attended the store’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The ceremony involved a mini-party and a meet-up for kids and parents to meet other families in the community, according to a Downtown Evanston press release.
In addition to products for infants, the store’s family courses include prenatal yoga, infant massage and infant sign language, according to its website. The weekly classes, taught by professionals, aim to transition women into motherhood. Adeline’s Room also offers free services such as changing tables, group play dates and a play area for parents.
Augie Lacapra, an Evanston State Farm agent and father of two children, said he counts on Adeline’s not only for its convenience but also its quality.
“Every time a client has a child, I bring them something from Adeline’s,” said Lacapra, who picked up a pocketed bib for his one-year-old son. “The products are always so unique.”
Beyond the basic necessities, Adeline’s also offers specialty products such as organic mattresses, cloth diapers and baby T-shirts with classic book references to “Moby Dick,” “The Catcher in the Rye” and “Brave New World.”
