Cradle Boutique — a one-stop shop for moms

A family owned store that offers everything a baby needs.

KARACHI:

Cradle Boutique, a shop for all kinds of baby products, is a family business run by mother-daughter duo Nighat Bokhari and Maha Khan, which aims to fulfill all the needs of a baby.

With an extensive supply of hand-made baby quilts, bassinets, customised cot and crib sets, soft-embroidered towel sets and a lot more, the pair aims to add a personal touch to the items. With their warmth and maternal instincts, they have successfully transformed this simple shop into a cosy mother’s haven, with a workshop on one floor and a baby’s boutique on the other.

“Whatever you see here, is entirely my mother’s idea,” says Bokhari, speaking about her own mother Siddiqa Hussain, the woman behind the brand now being run by her daughter and granddaughter (Bokhari and Khan, respectively). “Mom [Hussain] has always been in the clothing business. She is very talented and skilled.”

Bokhari revealed that about 20 years ago, Hussain bought out the only baby store in the city, Bambi, and transformed it into a one-stop shop for parents. Naming the brand Cuddly, she stocked it at Zubaida’s Mother Shop while simultaneously taking customised orders as well. Last year, Bokhari and Khan took over the business and opened an outlet on Zamzama calling it Cradle Boutique as Hussain was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

“We make gift baskets and depending on your budget, we can add stuffed animals, bib sets, blankets, quilts or even clothes,” says Khan, commenting on the services they provide. “A lot of nani’s old contacts are still our clients and we are the only ones in Karachi who make customised items.” She added that 80 per cent of their customers are walk-in buyers and being located next to the bakery Pie in the Sky, has been a crucial advantage for them.

Describing the challenges they face while running the business — difficult customers, shortage of material, delays due to security issues in the city — Bokhari added there were some positives as well. “We still have the workers my mother hired 14 years ago. The reason they are so good at detailing, replicating and stitching is because they are professionals.”

“We learn quite a lot from our clients as well, when they ask us to customise or design something exclusive or specific for them,” says Bokhari adding that the idea eventually becomes a part of their collection or business. “Some customers want bedding, crib sets, nappy bags and quilts which all need to match a specific theme — we make sure we deliver exactly what they want.”

When it comes to quality, Khan says Cradle Boutique never compromises: “Quality is not a premium, it’s an essential factor.” Almost all items are hand-made and created using pure material/fabric. “We normally choose everything from materials to colours, stitching, embroidery and designing,” she said, adding “unless the client suggests otherwise.”

After running the business for almost a year now, Bokhari and Khan are pleased with their clientele. “The majority of our sales are for children between the ages of zero and two,” says Khan. “We have grown so much by word of mouth and our clients continue to give us a positive response by their comments and reorders.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 8^th, 2012.

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