March 6, 2007 Section: Family Plus Page: F6 Special treat for little feet Mom starts Web business to provide soft-soled shoes Kelly Lewis By KELLY LEWIS |
familyplus@tucsoncitizen.com
Amy Mahadevan knows how hard it can be to find shoes for newborns and late-walking toddlers.
"My daughter Emily was a late walker," Mahadevan says. "I discovered soft-soled shoes after I had explored everything, but I couldn't find any of the styles that I liked here in town."
Frustrated, Mahadevan took matters into her own hands in creating www.bunniesshooz.com, a Web site she says showcases the best in soft-soled shoes for boys and girls.
"For children through age 2, experts recommend a soft-soled shoe because they help with foot development," Mahadevan says.
"It's the next best thing to being barefoot, but it provides protection."
She runs Bunnie's Shooz from her 1,400-square-foot central Tucson home while caring for daughters Emily, 5, and Olivia, 2.
Her husband, Daruka, is an oncologist.
Although Mahadevan does not manufacture the shoes herself, she says she scours the market for the latest in shoes to add to the Web site.
"I considered doing the manufacturing myself, but my goal was to first search the market for quality soft-soled shoes and then put them on the Web site so they are all in one place," Mahadevan says.
After launching Bunnie's Shooz in 2005, Mahadevan watched as the popularity of soft-soled shoes grew within the "mommy market."
"We have seen the business grow, although we aren't doing any marketing at this point," Mahadevan says. "It's the kind of business that is word of mouth.
"Being a mom myself, if I see anything really cute on a child, I ask, 'Where did you get that?' "
A visit to www.bunniesshooz.com reveals shoes for toddlers decorated with leopard print, strawberries, tiny footballs and other designs.
The great thing about the shoes, Mahadevan says, is that most have an elastic ankle, which means moms no longer have to run through the house searching for a shoe that got lost in transit.
"The beauty of a soft-sole shoe is that you can't pull them off," Mahadevan says. "Plus, kids don't slip and fall in them because the leather acts as a textured bottom."
The fun name of the business comes from "Bunnie," a nickname given Mahadevan's daughter Emily.
Mahadevan says she is creating a shoe that incorporates features of the best shoes on the market.
"A lot of new moms don't know about them yet," she says. "My goal is to have an exclusive line . . . that takes all of the pluses of the shoes on my Web site now and create an ideal shoe.
"They are just great shoes. My 5-year-old still wears them to dance class."
BUNNIE'S SHOOZ
Price: Most Bunnie's Shooz are $23-$25, with a $5 shipping fee.
Sizes: Most are suitable for children through age 2, with some styles available through age 4.
Styles: More than 60 available, including the popular Wee Steps, which are decorated in butterflies, flowers and airplanes.
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