A Kingston baby shop that has been a fixture in the lives of southern Tasmanian parents for more than 16 years is closing its doors, with the owners citing rising costs, online shopping and the struggle to compete with big retailers.
Mother Goose Baby Shop will shut for good on June 20, with co-owner Allison Wilson saying the decision was “gut-wrenching” for her and her partner Craig.
“We’re both absolutely devastated,” Wilson told Pulse.
“It’s a family business. Our kids are devastated. They’ve grown up running around the back of the shop and talking to customers.”
Wilson said the shift to online shopping after COVID hit the business hard, with customers increasingly using the store to research products before buying elsewhere.
“We became a bit of a resource centre for a lot of people,” she said.
“They got the information and then went and shopped online or took it out to Baby Bunting for them to beat our price, which was really disheartening.”
The couple’s lease is up and they say they couldn’t justify locking in for another three years with costs climbing and margins shrinking.
Rising rent, higher freight costs to Tasmania and suppliers increasing their minimum orders all ate into the bottom line, Wilson said.
“The retail price doesn’t change.”
“We know it’s tough for families and that they’re looking for the best price, but I guess we’re a family too, just trying to keep our doors open and people employed.”
Wilson said both she and Craig had been working two additional jobs each because they hadn’t taken an income from the business “for a little while” and didn’t want to let any of their four staff members go.
At its peak, the shop employed eight people.
The store also became known for its commitment to car seat safety, installing more than 15,000 car seats with free accredited fitting and racking up more than 600 five-star reviews across Google and Facebook.
Over the years Mother Goose partnered with organisations including Make-A-Wish Foundation, Tassie Mums, the Nappy Collective and Ronald McDonald House, and donated car seats and prams to families in need.
Wilson said the outpouring of support on social media since announcing the closure had left her emotional.
“I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved. I didn’t realise that we had the impact that we have had,” she said.
“I just want to really, really thank the community for their outpouring of love … and for the people that are continuing to walk through the doors while we’re closing down.”
As for what’s next, Wilson said the pair would take some time with their children and see where life leads.
“I don’t know where I’m gonna get my baby fix from, so who knows what could happen,” she said.
