Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/357002
Carmel Children's Clothier Brings More to Store SHORTCUTS GIVING BACK 92 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 4 A t the crack of dawn one exhausting morning, Heather Aldi was greeted by her wide-awake boy-and-girl twins. "It's-zearly," she mumbled. "Go back to bed." The owner of an online recycled children's clothing business first based in Los Angeles, Aldi now had the name for her current Carmel children's business: "Zearly." The inviting 3,000-square-foot space that opened this spring has a retail space on the first floor comprised of furniture, toys, gifts, and new and reused clothing. The second floor loft is a space Aldi donates for commu- nity use such as prenatal and childbirth classes, peaceful parenting lectures, arts and crafts programs, kids yoga, baby music classes, phonics, new par- ent support, and much more. "When we have our wiggle and giggle class with the 2 to 3 year olds, it's a big dance party upstairs," Aldi says. "There's a crazy, joyful sound." A recent event included photos with baby chicks from Aldi and her hus- band's Carmel Valley farm. Aldi set up the business with the model of reselling used children's clothing at very modest prices. "It's a service to parents," she explains. "They can have an entire kids' wardrobe for $30." She added in the higher-end clothing lines and products for sale to sup- port the community space upstairs. "There hasn't been a centralized loca- tion for the people who want to provide these parent and child services," she says. With budget cuts limiting programs like childbirth and infant CPR class- es at many local hospitals, Aldi discovered a way to pull from experts in the community. "They found me," she says. "It's something they do because they care. It's where my heart is." Zearly is located at 26549 Carmel Rancho Blvd., behind the Bagel Bakery, in Carmel. 831/250-7933 or www.zearlycarmel.com. —Brett Wilbur Heather Aldi opened Zearly, a children's boutique in Carmel that provides space for community classes on parenting, pregnancy, CPR and also offers music and play activities for young children. The store offers new and used clothing, gifts and nursery items. Photo: Kelli Uldall