BEEBIES Baby Store

One of the things I love most about writing my blog is the chances I get to discover and work with new, small, independent companies. Especially those that are local to me.

I recently found Ami Holt on Twitter. She is the owner and manager of BEEBIES Baby Store based in Maidstone and Snodland, Kent. Literally ten minutes down the road from me.

Ami is 18 years old and her business has already been up and running for a year.

The inspiration to start up BEEBIES Baby Store came to me in January 2011, when several friends and family members fell pregnant and invited me to their baby showers. When searching the High Street for gifts to give them at their baby showers I was astounded at the lack of substantial, affordable gifts available. There are plenty of retailers who provide single units e.g. photo frames and great big teddies at excessive costs, but no one who provides useful, pretty and affordable gifts for new born babies, and in the current economic climate, people need practical things as well as luxury items as the cost of bringing up a baby is ever growing.

My biggest seller, without doubt, is the BEEBIES baby basket. Each basket contains 10 items, all from well known brands, which hold both practical and endearing qualities, and provide the perfect balance and solution to the problem many new parents find themselves in – having more soft toys and birth certificate holders than the whole of the high street crammed into their newborns nursery! At £19.99 the baskets are ideal for office collections for those employees or colleagues who are leaving for maternity leave as they are great gifts, which look expensive, and yet they don’t break the bank! Our pricing is incredibly competitive in the market; hospital shops sell hampers with half of the contents for around £40!

Basket of goodies for girls

I think Ami is an inspiration to other young people who have an idea for a business of their own. I have been following her Facebook page over the last couple of weeks and she is generating a lot of interest and sales. This is one passionate and determined young lady.

As a student at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls (MGGS) the focus on going to university was something which took over many of the other girls’ minds, however from very early on in my A level studies I knew that university life wasn’t for me. I craved the responsibility, the risks and the achievement that came from owning your own business, and looked up to role models such as Karen Brady and Anya Hindmarch, and so sought out to find an idea which would take the world (at least my world) by storm. Early ideas included fruit pots and hand made cards, however neither of these ideas inspired me. I was once told that to be successful in your career, you must love what you do.

And so BEEBIES Baby Store was born. At the moment the store is a virtual one run mainly through Facebook and Ami’s own website. Ami sells affordable baby products packaged in a fun and festive way.

When Ami offered to send me some products to review there was no way that I could say no especially when in the same conversation Ami told me that she is also busy doing her A-Levels! I am not sure that I could have achieved so much when I was her age. I am not sure that I could really do it now!

But what I can do is share Ami’s products and give some honest feedback about the gifts we received.

Ami sent us a variety of products to review and they fall into two categories ‘Nappy Cakes‘ and ‘Nursery Products’. This post will cover the two tier nappy cake that we have tested and reviewed.

As soon as the cake arrived at our house Esther was very keen to find out what it was.

Esther explores our BEEBIES Nappy Cake

The two tier nappy cake costs £24.99 and is made up of 22 assorted new baby nappies and 9 other branded products. We received a teddy bear, which was very popular with the toddler twins as well as Matilda Mae!

Esther liked the teddy best of all

We also received two short sleeved vests, some Johnsons Baby Bath and Baby Oil. There was a white towel and some dummies.

Everything was white and pink, perfect for a newborn baby girl.

Esther tests the teddy and the towel!

Short Sleeved Vest

Esther tries out a nappy on teddy

Nappies from Pampers and Huggies

The nappy cake was really well put together and would make a great gift for a new mummy and her baby. It pulls together essential baby products and presents them in a creative way. Ami is right in that providing for babies in the current economic climate is not easy and this kind of gift I am certain would be welcomed by all mummies. The products that Ami has selected for her cakes provide good value for money and her flair for presentation make them into fantastic gifts.

BEEBIES Baby Store sells a range of tiered nappy cakes for boys and girls. A unisex yellow cake can also be bought.

BEEBIES Baby Store also sells Baby Baskets. These are beautiful to look at and cost just £19.99. A real budget treat for a mummy or mummy to be.

The nappy cakes provide essential items for mum and baby but as you can see from my photos they also provided siblings with hours of entertainment and actually helped them to understand more of baby’s needs. Esther can now often be found lying her teddy down for a nappy change or a sleep. She likes to dress teddy up too!

BEEBIES Teddy Baby

All dressed up and nowhere to go!

Though the BEEBIES teddy has finally found its way to his rightful owner!

Getting to know Matilda Mae

I know that Ami has great dreams and ambitions for BEEBIES Baby Store and I am going to tell you more about that in the nursery products review coming soon.

My husband runs his own business and has done since he left University so I know how hard it can be. I hope that Ami stays as determined and passionate as she is now. Her range of products is great and growing. Please check out her website and her Facebook page to find our more. You can also follow her on Twitter.

Ami sent me one single tier nappy cake for the purpose of this review.