From a bike that helps your child transition to their first two-wheeler, to personalized stationery, to hand-crafted clothing and educational toys, all sorts of original items will be featured at the Children's Trunk Show this Friday and Saturday.
Now in its eighth year, the Children's Trunk Show is a marketplace for independent business owners, many of them moms, who've created a product but don't have widespread distribution for it. The Toronto event has grown steadily since its inception and this year it's being held at the Evergreen Brick Works Holcim Gallery.
"What makes us different is that our vendors, for the most part, are mom entrepreneurs who are creating a product that they have developed and have subsequently sold out of their home because they found a need in the marketplace once they had children. A lot of the products have come out of a mother's own need for her child," explains event organizer and co-owner Tori Newall.
"We're creating this marketplace that brings together this collection of amazing mom entrepreneurs who are, for the most part, running these businesses out of their home, maybe have an online distribution but don't have large-scale retail distribution."
Among the products on display this year: clothing, artwork, stationery, jewellery, blankets, costumes and educational toys. Newall says she's always impressed by the calibre of the items up for sale.
"The quality and the workmanship is really high because these are products [women are] making for their own children," she enthuses. " For us it's exciting because we get these high-end unique products that aren't available in boutiques, but we're also facilitating a marketplace so that these women can be home with their children but also have the ability to go back to work on their own terms."
Newall runs the show along with partner Julie Ritchie -- both women are moms and like many of the vendors involved, they were looking for a way to return to work but still see as much of their kids as possible.
"We were looking for a career that enabled us to do it on our own terms and we weren't finding that in the corporate world anymore," Newall notes. "The network of incredible mom entrepreneurs out there is phenomenal."
Along with the vendors, various guest speakers will be on hand so that attendees can make a day of it. Author Alyson Schafer, nutrition expert Dr. Joey Shulman and Sprout Right founder Lianne Phillipson-Webb will share tips and advice, Kids & Company daycare is there, and Sunny Mummy is offering free massages both days.
Best of all, Newall says, this is an event that's all about moms supporting other moms.
"Everybody relates to the idea of moms supporting moms, it really resonates. So you can go there and support a small business and support a woman, a fellow mom," she remarks. "That speaks to the retail world as well, but in this instance people really relate to that and get excited by that."
CityLine.ca is giving away a pair of passes to the Children's Trunk Show -- if you're interested in attending, contact suzanne.ellis@cityline.rogers.com.
Event Details:
The Children's Trunk Show
Friday, October 1st
Saturday, October 2nd
from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm
Evergreen Brick Works, Holcim Gallery
550 Bayview Avenue
Toronto, ON M4W 3X8
ebw.evergreen.ca
$10 at the door, a portion goes to SickKids Foundation – Grandmas get in free!
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