Two local moms have teamed up to create kid-friendly shopping experiences and special events at their store in Sayville. Coco & Ro, which marked its third anniversary March 5, is the brainchild of close friends Kristin Whitcomb, a former accountant, and Melissa Oliverio, who’s worked in fashion merchandising.
The pair met when their kids were in kindergarten, and they realized they had the same dream. “Melissa and I both always wanted to own a store,” says Whitcomb, a mom of one.
Located in a cheerful space with a sign promising “really, really cute things,” the mom-powered enterprise specializes in clothing, toys and gifts for newborns to tweens and was inspired by a shared vision.
Scanning their town they found that “there was nowhere for kids to go to shop for themselves,” says Whitcomb, who happily recalls being able to do that with her allowance as a tween in Sayville. “I was welcome in several stores. I could buy something with a few dollars.”
Their store is a sort of time machine to recreate that rush of retail independence. Samples of toys are kept out for young shoppers to test as they wish. For town events such as Springfest in April, the store offers free treats, temporary tattoos and raffles.
Covering the store and being a mom is an ongoing balancing act. They lean on each other to make it all work. “We’ve come up with a schedule and a pattern and we stay flexible,” says Oliverio, a mother of four. Running the shop, the entrepreneurs say they work to share the creative and financial demands of the business.
The store offers a range of products from $5 to $139, including plush toys, slime, lip gloss, and clothing. Customized gifts including hats, pouches and sunglasses are $18 and up. Gifts for newborns, first birthdays, moms and teachers are among the top purchases by adult shoppers. The store hosts birthday parties and special events and play dates with rates starting at $650 for 12 kids.
Three years into the business, the partners agree that resilience and optimism are key at Coco & Ro, a name inspired by the women’s pets. “It’s a happy little light and bright shop,” says Oliverio.
Coco & Ro, 49 Main St., Sayville, 631-319-1212, cocoandro.com.