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Bombay Kids appeals to a hip crowd

By Tanya K. Merritte -- Kids Today, 9/1/2005 12:00:00 AM

Valencia, Calif. —

Upbeat music greets customers visiting the Bombay Kids store located in a Santa Clarita Valley mall. The tunes, combined with fashion-forward textiles and trendy accessories, give the store a hip vibe.

Employees have just completed a store reset for the new season, and the looks fall in line with styles that are popular with older kids. For example, a girls group at the front of the store featured bedding in the hot shades of pink and purple, with hints of gold. A canopy and accessories helped create a cool, bohemian look. A boys vignette upfront featured the popular metal locker look on a loft bed with desk underneath.

As customers walk back farther into the 3,000-square-foot kids area — located next to a mainline Bombay store — they find more styles fancied by tweens and teen girls, including ethnic-inspired bedding and accessories, funky bedding featuring a mix of textures such as satin and fur, and patterns in tropical prints and colors. For boys, a sports-themed vignette includes a television with a game system, set up and ready to play.

Younger kids aren't forgotten either. A bedroom group with fairy themes was on display and is popular with little girls and their parents, said Jenny Strahler, manager of Bombay Kids. And a nautical vignette tucked in the corner was impressive, with several large sailboats and wall décor accenting the bedding.

Bombay Kids gives accessories a lot of attention. Numerous displays around the store featured items such as curtain/bed panels, drawer pulls, finials, window hardware and mini lampshades.

Marsha Myers, senior sales manager for the West Coast district, said the store has a diverse customer base. "You get people buying for their first child, (and) people buying for their grandchildren," she said. "We've never been able to categorize our customers."

Strahler said many customers are adults buying for themselves — several of the store's beds and bedding sets are available in sizes twin through queen. Strahler also said most people buy the complete looks shown on display, including the bed, textiles and some accessories.

Myers and Strahler said the competition tends to be Pottery Barn, which also has a store at Valencia Town Center, Target and JCPenney. Both women said they think Bombay Kids is more competitive on price than Pottery Barn. They also said the store offered more options than Target and JCPenney. "Here you can customize," Myers said.

Bombay Kids has four stores within a 60-mile radius of Los Angeles. A fifth store in scheduled to open in Simi Valley in October.

Bombay Kids designs for teen and tween boys lean toward popular locker-style pieces.

Accessory stands are located throughout the store, including this one featuring lampshades.

Many of the furniture pieces and soft goods are bought by adults decorating their own bedrooms.

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