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Togs with a tune
By SHARON L. BOND, Neighborhood Times Business Editor MADEIRA BEACH -- What started as a hobby making children's clothes and then grew into a home business with nationwide sales is a John's Pass Village store, and the owner hopes to sell franchises soon. Heidi Hardman, 38, who has 11 nieces and nephews but no children of her own, operates Musical Kids Clothes and More at 13015 #D Village Blvd. The shop sells all sorts of children's wear that Hardman turns into musical togs by adding a chip to each garment, under a design, that plays a favorite song when pressed. A touch of the sun on a toddler's romper, for example, plays You Are My Sunshine. Other tunes are available as well as 15 different designs that Hardman creates. The shop also personalizes clothes in just a few minutes using transfers and a hot press. Customers are invited to watch. Hardman chose John's Pass for her first shop because it draws tourists. "People want to take home something they are not going to find anywhere else. I wanted to be in a resort area. I didn't want to be in a mall. We are mostly a specialty shop," Hardman said. She draws locals, too, including repeat customers from as far away as Spring Hill and Brandon. She believes she has the only line of personalized, musical kids clothes. Items sell from $19.95 for T-shirts to $29.95 for sweat suits and dresses. Musical Kids Clothes and More advertises itself as a shop for newborns through age 10. But it also has a few things for older kids, and several shirts for adults. Kids too grown up for musical clothes can check out jewelry-making kits while Grandma can buy a T-shirt and have all the grandkids' names put on it. The shop opened May 30. Hardman still does craft shows, though fewer than she did before the shop opened. She estimates gross sales for 2001 at $300,000. The business started in 1990 with Hardman making outfits for her nieces. She then sold her musical clothes at craft fairs. She is positioning herself to offer franchises for the stores. "I tried to think of another avenue for sales, and it hit me: Plan stores in resort areas."
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From the Times South Pinellas desks |
