Revitalized store catering to younger set plans to expand baby section

Prestonwood Kidz Bookstore on the main campus of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, strives to serve families by making the store a special place for them to visit. Dedicated to kids from its beginning in 2006, the 1,100-square-foot store is undergoing a remodel, adding fresh paint, new fixtures and other embellishments, with renovations to be completed prior to the start of the Christmas shopping season. 

 Kelly Graham Flores, manager and buyer, said she and her staff are continually doing research on new products, attending trade shows, looking for interesting display ideas and shopping at other children’s stores. Kidz carries a wide variety of books, toys and educational items, and stocks practical items, including nap mats or blankets.

“You have to be aware if you are going to keep a children’s department or a store going,” Flores said. “You can’t expect to keep the same things on the shelves and get a lot of results. Kids’ products can be trendy. You want to have some of those trends, but you don’t want to be tied to those trends, so you want to carry the classics, like children’s Bibles or children’s Christian music CDs.”

Prestonwood Kidz plans to expand its section of baby products. Management also envisions more theme and seasonal tables. Another aspect that the staff is considering is how to best organize the children’s books. 

“We have new fixtures that we bought, and we are updating them,” Flores said. “The fixtures we used in the store originally were fixtures that we already had on hand and were able to use. Now we are going to have a more cohesive look, and it is going to upgrade the store a lot. It will give us more options and offer additional space for us to showcase the books.” 

The store stands out with its bright colors, child-friendly spaces and giveaways.

“We want our store to be a comfortable, hands-on place for the kids and their parents,” Flores said. “We also have a lot of grandparents that shop in the store. We work closely with our children’s ministry, our Christian school and library.”

Four or five times a year the store hosts events that feature a guest author, artist or personality, such as Miss PattyCake or the group Go Fish.

Kidz has its own entrance and checkout, and is attached to the church’s Atrium store.