Bel Bambini’s A-list customers love the store’s high-end items.
GOING HIGH-END: BEL BAMBINI, LOS ANGELES
With its prime West Hollywood locale—on the corner of Robertson and Melrose—and a celebrity clientele among the likes of Jessica Alba, Halle Berry and Kourtney Kardashian, upscale baby boutique Bel Bambini clearly has some advantages when it comes to courting new customers. But the shop didn’t earn its cache without cause, says Loann Tran, who manages the boutique along with her sister and owner Kristina Lin. What began as a high-end nursery furniture store with a smattering of layettes now offers everything from toys to strollers to designer kids’ apparel perfectly suited to the boutique’s A-list shoppers.
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It’s all due to the store’s commitment to service, Tran says. “We have a close relationship with our customers,” she explains, noting the boutique trains its salespeople to be proactive in uncovering customers’ wants and needs. Two years ago, the shop branched beyond furniture, introducing an array of designer brands, including Baby Dior, Baby Marc Jacobs, Chloe Baby and more recently, Stella McCartney Kids. At first, Tran notes, she and Lin were nervous about going high-end during a stalled economy. But after blowing out of a $1,000 dress, the duo realized that beautiful designer items were exactly what the shop’s clients were seeking. “Our customers appreciate the high quality and style that designer
12/18/11 2:46 PM