Affordable kid’s clothing now available

By Tara Nelson

Children’s clothing is expensive. At the same time, infants and toddlers tend to grow out of their clothes quickly, creating a problem for the any parent, not belonging to the upper-middle to high-income brackets.
Kristen Swinford of Blaine, however, thought she might have a solution to that – she opened Laura’s Treasure Chest at 215 Marine Drive on October 21.

The store, named after her mother, Laura, who passed away in May, sells used maternity, infant and toddler clothes, as well as children’s toys and some furniture on consignment.

“I, as well as most parents, probably spend most of our money on our children’s clothes,” she said. “And usually, the kids only wear something two or three times before they grow out of it.”

Swinford is originally from Salinas, California, a seaside community just south of San Francisco. She moved to Blaine six years ago and wanted to settle down here, but to do so, she wanted to make sure she had adequate employment.

Opening a store seemed like the perfect solution. She also liked the fact that it allowed her to be flexible with her schedule and spend more time with her children Jade, 5, and Coral, 3.

Swinford said after talking to several other parents, she realized the demand for affordable children’s clothing.

“Everyone I’ve talked to shops at children’s consignment stores,” she said. “I knew if I didn’t start one, someone else was going to start one before too long.”

Laura’s Treasure Chest is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and can be reached by calling 332-4970.