LAPLACE — With the nearest maternity boutique positioned an hour away in Baton Rouge, Katelyn Montalbano lately opened The Bump & Corporation LLC to assist expectant moms in the River Parishes and beyond appear and feel their ideal.
Located at 1974 Ormond Blvd Suite F in Destrehan, the new company was a aspiration various many years in the making.
Montalbano was 6 weeks alongside with her first son in December 2017 when she announced her pregnancy to her mom. The subsequent working day, they headed straight to Location Maternity in Metairie, with her mom insisting she required to be geared up for the early morning she’d wake up and recognize nothing healthy. Luckily for us, the retailer had a fake stomach that Montalbano was in a position to try out on to gauge how garments would healthy further more alongside in her being pregnant.
Desired destination Maternity had shut down by the time Montalbano was pregnant with her second newborn less than two decades later. The only possibilities for maternity browsing have been the constrained alternatives at Walmart and Focus on. The clothes she was able to obtain didn’t match her style, and the massive chain shops did not supply a phony stomach to see how the garments would suit.
Locating maternity clothes in large box shops has turn out to be even much more challenging as fitting rooms have shut amid COVID-19 safety measures.
“At that stage, my mother and I talked about opening up a maternity shop, but we did not do it. I had two infants beneath 2 a long time previous, and there was a large amount heading on,” Montalbano explained. “Then, in the course of Hurricane Ida, we were being sitting down about with no electrical power or drinking water, and we decided to pull the plug and open a maternity keep. We went ahead with our idea and inside of 6 months, we opened, and we have been executing perfectly.”
The Bump & Corporation LLC presents maternity garments to in good shape every single event, from laid back leggings and T-shirts to classy robes for baby showers and photoshoots. Other merchandise provided consist of hats, necklaces, candles, slippers, tummy support bands, Mommy and me robes with matching swaddles, and PJ sets for maternity, postpartum and breastfeeding.
Of study course, Montalbano manufactured absolutely sure to stock the fitting area with a gentle stomach that velcros beneath the outfits. Whenever she hears laughing from powering the curtains, she appreciates a 1st-time mom is hoping on the stomach, giddy with pleasure around what is to occur.
In accordance to Montalbano, numerous of the shirts and dresses at The Bump & Firm are not strictly maternity parts.
“Around 85% of our merchandise can be worn postpartum,” she mentioned. “A big goal of mine is to have a good deal that can be worn later on so people today aren’t shelling out a ton of income on a little something that can only be worn for a number of months.”
Th Bump & Enterprise strives to manage a sensible rate point, with a the vast majority of garments and components ranging from $20 to $60. In the 1st thirty day period of organization, the most well known merchandise have incorporated sweater attire, hoodies, ball caps and tie dye pajama sets.
Heading into 2022, Montalbano’s target is to have a new merchandise in the retail store each and every 7 days. The Bump & Organization will also be functioning with a nonprofit corporation this year.
“We are functioning on having folks to donate their maternity photoshoot attire. As soon as we get plenty of, we will place out a rack and offer them for $20. The cash we make will be donated to a battered women’s shelter,” Montalbano said.
Because opening in late November, The Bump & Business has currently attained a adhering to of return shoppers. As a St. Charles Parish native, Montalbano is grateful for the assist she’s viewed from her local community, as perfectly as the surrounding location.
“This is my initial smaller small business. I’m obtaining a good deal of support not just from St. Charles Parish, but from the River Parishes, Houma, Mandeville and Baton Rouge. I’m having a selection of prospects from all about, which is phenomenal,” she said, including, “I am normally open to strategies on what folks would like to see.”
Guidance has also come from exterior of Louisiana. Just after putting up a TikTok showcasing maternity don, Montalbano woke up to on the internet orders from 11 unique states. It only took two times for the TikTok to surpass 240,000 sights and 10.4K likes.
The Bump & Business LLC is open up from midday to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday by Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. The boutique is closed on Sunday and Monday.
For more information and facts, abide by The Bump & Firm on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok or take a look at thebumpandcompany.com. Montalbano might also be attained by e mail at [email protected] or by cell phone at 504-401-1956.
