Final Week - Closing Sale

Lemons, meet water, ice and sugar. For the final week of Mothersville's existence, we'll be marking everything* down by the day.

Tuesday, June 24: 10% off
Wednesday, June 25: 20% off
Thursday, June 26: 30% off
Friday, June 27: 40% off
Saturday, June 28: 50% off

Everything in the store will be discounted - nursing bras and tanks, slings, Robeez, Medela pumps and parts, natural health products, cloth diapers, diaper bags, and all those other little things you've had your eye on - but quantities are limited. Once they're gone, they're gone. The online store will not be functional but we can take phone orders.

We'll also be selling the store fixtures, equipment and even the furniture. If there's something you want that doesn't have a price tag on it, just ask!



*Maternity and consignment items excluded - we haven't paid for that stuff yet

What's Going On

There have been a lot of questions swirling around Mothersville, particularly since the For Lease sign went up in the window. I've been trying to answer the best that I can, but as is usually the case in both mothering and retailing, the future is still largely unknown.

What I can tell you all for sure is this: Mothersville will be closing its current location on Saturday, June 28. Our lease ends this month and that will be our last day of operation at 800 S. Cooper St.

I can also tell you this: I will be re-entering the full-time, corporate workforce on July 1. Anyone interested in the mental turmoil behind that decision can read about it here, but the short story is that it just simply isn't possible for me to continue operating the store.

So what now? I'm still not entirely sure. I have been trying unsuccessfully to sell Mothersville for nearly two years, but I haven't completely given up hope that a buyer may step forward at the last minute. With a job waiting for me, I am able to be more flexible with the purchasing options, and I can also offer the possibility of two other businesses that are interested in collaborating with Mothersville to create a new and unique resource for the mamas of Memphis.

So that's what I have to tell you. What happens next is, ultimately, up to one or some of you. Barring outside intervention, Mothersville will be closing for good at the end of next week. (And speaking of next week, please come by for the BIG BIG SALE.)

We have stayed open for five years on the strength of mothers stepping in at the exact moment they needed to, and that moment is right now. And if that moment passes, I offer my thanks to all of you for getting us this far, for supporting the store and each other, and for allowing us to be a part of your experience as mothers.

Anyone interested in more information about acquiring Mothersville can please contact me at andria@mothersville.com or (901) 272-0081.

Mothers Acting Up

We hope this Mother's Day involves you, lots of love, food, flowers, praise and maybe even some feet rubbing. In addition, we're celebrating moms the world over with Mothers Acting Up, a nationwide organization dedicated to reclaiming the peaceful origins of the holiday. The Memphis chapter of MAU is meeting at Mothersville at 3 PM this Sunday and marching over to Peabody Park for an afternoon of fun and honoring some fabulous local mamas. Costumes and your imagination encouraged! We hope you will join us!

For more information, please visit memmau.blogspot.com

CYNO: The Gallery at Mothersville

Have a cute baby? About to have a cute baby? Want some seriously
awesome pictures to document said cuteness? Then you are going to
love photographer Lisa Thomas of Kiralisa Photography!

Please join us at Mothersville this Thursday May 1 from 5-9 for our
second ever Cooper Young Night Out event featuring the work of Lisa
Thomas. She's a dynamic artist who puts the magic back in
photography, capturing amazing, thoughtful moments with that
delectable Canon of hers. She's also just a rockin mama (of 3!) in
general, so please stop by and say hello!



See more of Lisa's work here.

Rock'n'Romp!

The new season of Rock'n'Romp begins today! If you're not already familiar, this is the third year that a crew of dedicated parents have coordinated a series of backyard concerts featuring the best of our local musical talent in a setting that's kid-friendly without being childish. Mothersville traditionally closes early on RnR days so that we can encourage as many families as possible to attend (and, okay, so we can go, too). To get on the evite list for future events, check out www.memphisrocknromp.blogspot.com

Cooper Young Night Out

Please join Mothersville and dozens of other local businesses at the first Cooper-Young Night Out, this Thursday evening, April 3, from 5-9pm. We will be offering mama massages from licensed massage therapists Tammi Jo O'Neal and Lorrie Garcia, both of whom specialize in pre-natal and post-natal massage. Lorrie will also be available to discuss her infant massage workshops and Evergreen Yoga Center's upcoming Hypobirth course. We'll also have some special Night Out deals and treats, so take a relaxing evening break and enjoy all Cooper Young has to offer.

Restaurants and retailers throughout the neighborhood will be offering special deals all evening - click below for the complete list and then come on out this Thursday and the first Thursday night of every month!

Is it Spring Yet?

I put on a T shirt today and started to put on my coat and when I thought that if I wished really hard, I would open up my front door and it would feel like spring.

I wore my coat to work.

In the meantime, I'm doing my best to make my surroundings as springy as possible. Check out these lovelies.




The pink bag alone makes me want to have a second child so I have that much more of an excuse to buy a second diaper bag.

OUT WITH THE OLD

We are marking down our winter gear so be sure to stop in this weekend for your last great winter deals!

Needing to offload that spring, summery maternity dress, pants or tops? We're taking spring maternity clothes for our ever expanding consignment section! Items must be washed and in good condition. 10 items per customer.

Happy Holidays!

The mamas of Mothersville wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas, a happy holiday, and a wonderful New Year. We will be closed for the holiday season as of this Sunday the 23rd, and will open our doors January 2.

Kate Quinn

I know, feast or famine, right? I'd be exhausted from all this posting if I wasn't so excited about our latest and greatest offering. We are proud to be carrying Kate Quinn Organics, a simply gorgeous line of infant sleep saques, kimonos and dresses. Happy to be aiding the environment but tired of the same ole beige, inventive parent Kate Quinn dreamed up a line of brightly colored baby clothes of the softest cotton that gives parents an extremely appealing option of going green. Other folks will be plain green with envy.

Yes I went there.

She's Got (Baby) Legs

You've asked. We've ordered. The Baby Legs are here! Insanely cute and equally as practical, Baby Legs come one size fit all, so they can warm the legs of your newborn and work nicely as tights with your preschooler's winter dress. And I'm not kidding about the practical. Please see the photo of Harlow modeling her argyle baby leg that she wore alongside her leg cast.




We've got stripes and skulls, Union Jacks and polka dots, argyles and holiday prints. They might possibly be the world's most perfectly punnerific stocking stuffer ever.

Wooden Toys!

The elves have been busy getting us ready for the holidays, and by elves I mean two incredibly talented, particularly dreamy local dads who have handcrafted wooden toys exclusively for Mothersville. Made with love not in China but in Memphis, a wooden truck or classic car is the perfect gift for the discriminating baby who prefers lead in their zeppelin, not their toys.

The Business of Being Born

Trillium WomanCare and Mothersville are bringing Rikki Lake's new documentary movie "The Business of Being Born" to the First Congregational Church on Thursday November 1st.

Doors will open at 6:00pm and the film will begin at 6:30pm. A panel of
childbirth professionals will be on hand for a question/answer/discussion session after the movie. Light refreshments will be served (and are welcome).

This will be a special benefit screening, meaning that all profits from the film viewing will be donated to the March of Dimes.

You can read about the film at www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com

Mummiesville

That's right. For one magical afternoon (and a lifetime spent in the hell reserved for terrible punners) Mothersville will become Mummiesville! Time to trot out your little angel's inner devil and make creative with baby's first costume. There will be treats and tricks and Mothersville's first costume contest! Photographers will be on hand to capture the fun and to document our last hurrah in the old space before we get our big makeover. The spooky starts at 11:00 (it's like the playgroup, only scarier) so be sure to stop in for some Halloweenish fun!

Soapcicles!

You've been invited...to baby's first birthday.

Hooray for scoring a ticket out of the house and into an afternoon (or for your really daring parenting types) an evening of fun!

The downside? What on earth do you buy for a child who would soon as wear wrapping paper than appreciate the gift inside?

Confronted with this quandry, SAHM Debbie Chialtas came up with a solution. A clever crafter, Debbie whipped up some homemade soap while pregnant with her first child. More than pleased with the results, she hit upon her now famous soapcicle - adorable, popcicle-shaped glycerin soaps that make bathtime all the more enjoyable. Mothersville is pleased to offer the nostalgia-trip inducing Bomb Blaster, the Neapolitan and a wide assortment of "flavors" that are just ridiculously cute. For those Halloween babes, the candy corn soapcicle has arrived just in time!

Uno Momono Mas

What's that, up in the air? It's a breastfeeding cover! It's a wearable burp cloth! It's ...

MOMONO!



Taking new-mom couture to the next level, the Momono is a kimono-style top that can be worn from the hospital room to the board room ... well, at least until you leave for the office. Throw it on in the morning to protect your clothes from splattered milk, applesauce, mashed banana, etc. Working mothers arrive at work without spit-up on the shoulder. Stay-at-home-moms leave it on to keep their clothes clean while feeling more sexy and glamorous doing the mommy thing at home. Side-tie construction makes for easy breastfeeding. Made in the USA out of breathable, washable cotton, with a roomy pocket for all those necessities, the Momono makes a unique gift for a baby shower, a new mom, or absolutely anyone who wants something special to wear at home.

You Can't Handle The Cute!

There are so many adorable new things at the store these days that it's probably better to let the pictures do the talking.

Baby Bonkies: putting the aw in swaddlers ...


MamaLove Nursing Gowns and PJs ...


Knit Cowboy Booties and Mary Janes ...


Kate Muth lino-cut cards ...


Rockabye Baby CDs: instrumental renditions of The Beatles, Rolling Stones, U2, Bjork, Beach Boys and, of course, Metallica ...

Not Our Gripe

Many of you have heard about the Gripe Water recall, so I wanted to clarify that Mothersville does not carry the apple-flavored product named in this warning. None of the Baby's Bliss Gripe Water sold or carried at Mothersville is affected by this recall. Thanks to all of you who have been alert to this issue.

The Big News

Well, it's been just about 40 weeks since I made the initial announcement about the uncertain future of Mothersville. Since then, not a week has gone by that I haven't been asked what was going to happen to the store. I was told, over and over again, that Mothersville simply couldn't close. I was overwhelmed by the reaction of our customers, from the playgroup regulars to one-time buyers, who repeatedly told me how important the store had been during their own early mothering experiences.

Out of all these mamas, one stepped forward and offered her time, ideas and resources to keep Mothersville going. It is with colossal delight that I announce that Melissa Sweazy will be partnering up as the new co-owner of Mothersville. A Memphis native graciously returned to us by the City of Angels, Melissa brings a Southerner's wit and charm curled up around a left coast artistic sensibility, and best of all, a deep and true desire to help out the new mamas of Memphis. She, babygirl Harlow and husband Caleb are fairly new to the Memphis parenting scene, but are eagerly throwing themselves at the mercy of Midtown. She is jumping right in and splitting time from here on in, so please be sure to stop by and say hello to her. And thank you, thank you, thank you.

Introducing ...

Abraham Dallas Cline
Born at home Jun 26, 2007
8lbs, 21", achingly cute



Click the pic for more, including the back labor badge of honor.

Maternity Leave Hours

Thanks to a very generous and thoughtful fleet of volunteer mamas, Mothersville will continue to operate while I am recuperating from birth and enjoying the first weeks of my little one's life. We will, however, be open for limited hours to better accommodate our devoted helpers. From June 12 - July 28, Mothersville hours will be as follows:

Tuesday-Friday: 10am - 3pm
Saturday: 12pm-5pm

All groups will continue to meet at their regular times, and I hope all our regular moms will continue to come out. The days can get long, especially when you're trying to help a customer and chase a toddler at the same time.