Date: Fri 02-Oct-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

Bethel-Smithwick-Baby-Boutique

Full Text:

Bethel Boutique Grows As The Area's Babies Do

(with cut)

BY KAAREN VALENTA

BETHEL -- When Patricia Smithwick decided to open her own business, the Bethel

Baby Boutique, she chose Bethel because she liked its small town feel.

"It reminded me of what Yorktown, N.Y., where I now live, was like when I

first moved there," she said. "I like the Bethel area. It's an up and coming

community. Business kind of died out after the mall opened but that's changing

now."

Mrs Smithwick opened the store at 125 Greenwood Avenue 16 months ago after a

career that included more than 20 years as the manager of a real estate

office, and several years working for the administrator of a nursing home.

"I discovered Bethel when my husband and I visited longtime friends who had

moved here from Danbury," she said. "I wanted my own business, and I wanted it

in a community where you could walk. Bethel has a pretty downtown. It's been

all redone. The streets are being repaved next week and new street lamps are

being installed."

Mrs Smithwick found an available location on Greenwood Avenue and her husband

did the renovations that were needed before the store could open.

"I like to think we're a shop that could answer all your children's needs,"

Mrs Smithwick said. "We have bedding layette, christening outfits, clothing to

size 7, gifts and accessories. We purposely keep prices lower than the mall.

When stores in the mall have a 30 percent off sale, well that's what it starts

at in my shop."

The Baby Boutique features well known brands like Carter's Healthtex and Good

Lads. The single best-selling item is a pair of tiny round silver boxes, one

for baby's first curl, the other for baby's first tooth. There are lamps,

feeding sets, toys, and custom designed gift baskets. The store offers free

gift wrapping and other personalized services.

Opening a store selling infants' and children's wear reflected Mrs Smithwick's

interests.

"I always loved being around babies and little children," she said. "After I

began having grandchildren, it just seemed natural. Doing this is the most fun

I've ever had in business."

Pat Smithwick is in business with her daughter, Janine Tompkins, who lives

with her husband in Carmel, N.Y., and has two children, Jimmy, 5, and Shannon,

2. Her other daughter, Lisa Tambascio, lives in Yorktown with her husband and

their 15-month-old son, Gary.

A member of the Bethel Chamber of Commerce, Mrs Smithwick saw a need for local

businesses to promote the area through group advertising. Last summer she

helped get 70 businesses together to advertise the Bethel Summer Festival with

full-page and half-page advertisements in area newspapers and two hours of

live coverage on an area radio station.

"The advertising brought more people than ever before to Bethel," she said.

"Last week we did the same thing for the art festival and sidewalk sales. We

hired a barbershop group, the Danbury Mad Hatters, and Greys School of Irish

Dancing to perform, along with acoustics by two young Newtown men, Mike

Connolly and Chris Morrison.

"Now we are planning a Halloween Trick or Treat Street on October 31. Children

from Bethel, Newtown and Redding are invited to come in costume for the

parade. Everyone will wind up on the library lawn where there will be prizes

of $25, $50 and $100 for the best costumes."

The Bethel Baby Boutique is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 5:30

pm, Thursday 10 to 7 and Sunday, 11 to 3. Call 792-2229 for more information.