Little Elm makes big first impression in Winnetka

Little Elm, a new, women-owned children’s boutique founded by two North Shore residents, opened last month in Winnetka, featuring a curated selection of products exclusively from women-owned brands.

Co-founders Kristi Jensen and Kitty Brandtner estimate more than 150 purchases were made on opening day, Nov. 15, as nearly 300 people walked through the shop’s doors.

Located at 847 Elm St., the 15-year former home of gift shop Ellen’s on Elm, the success of the space’s opening appeared to speak for itself: Little Elm meets a need for in-person, children’s retail in town.

“We really did fill the gap,” Jensen said of the store. “And we wanted to have a spot that has everyday basics, if a mom needs a pair of leggings or something really quick, but also elevated occasion wear, or something to go on vacation with. So, we wanted a one stop shop for both boys and girls, which we felt was a hole in the market, too.”

Bradtner added of the space’s atmosphere, “People will get teary-eyed [when they come in], because it does spark joy and coziness, and it just feels magical in there. … It’s right across from [Dwyer Park], and we intentionally put a little kids area in the back, so that if moms come in, they can send their kids to the back and play, and they can really have a minute to themselves. We [did not] want it to feel overstimulating and overwhelming.”

As they were developing the store’s inventory and pursuing the women-owned brand strategy, for Jensen and Brandtner, who have three children each, the pieces aligned: The brands they had already loved were women owned.

They also found new favorites on their recent travels to cities such as Amsterdam and New York, and brought those collections to Winnetka, where they carry sizes from infant to 10 years old.

Among the brands one can find at Little Elm are Danish-owned Konges Sløjd — which has been immensely popular with customers, as the shop sold through the initial inventory within 48 hours — and Motette and Petite Plume, part of the shop’s Pajama Bar.

To support gift-giving and customization, Jensen and Brandtner have partnered with Yes, Ma’am Embroidery for in-store monogramming. The turnaround time tends to be a week or less.

The community support and strong partnerships with brands and collaborators, has been a highlight, mutually beneficial and uplifting, with Jensen alluding back to the phrase, “a rising tide lifts all ships.”

In an effort to continue building community, and help busy moms make their days a little easier, they have built events at the store, including bi-weekly Wednesday’s with Mr. Dave, a musician known to get kids dancing and singing.

Their event calendar is available and regularly updated through the Little Elm website.

But what makes Jensen and Bradtner such a strong business duo? Teamwork and complementary backgrounds, they said.

Bradtner has been a buyer for 20 years, having worked at Anthropology and, most recently, Crate & Barrel. Jensen has a background in sales, having worked as a sales executive at a staffing company for 14 years.

In 2022, Jensen also started the nonprofit March Fourth, which works to end mass shootings.

“We toss out different ideas and have had so much fun filling our cup creatively,” Jensen said of what it has been like working with Bradtner. “We want it to be, you know, beautiful and welcoming, but also not perfect and have plenty of character because we each have three kids, and we know that there’s no such thing as the perfect photo and the perfect child, so we want the scraped knees and the silliness element to come into it.”

Now, as the store moves into its second month, Jensen and Bradtner are all in, embracing the “joy factor,” as Jensen put it, that the store brings to the community.

“I think life can be, what life is, which is ups and downs, kind of heavy, and it’s not perfect,” she said. “But to have a space where you can really celebrate the joy, that was the ultimate goal: to really celebrate childhood because I think, as moms, all we want is for our kids to be happy, healthy and safe, and we wanted to curate a place that represents that.”

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