Wicker Park Native Opens Sustainable Children's Boutique

When it came time to name her new children’s boutique, Isabel Rubinas recalled one of her favorite memories with her son, Evan.

Lollipops are the 3-year-old’s favorite candy, so one day, Rubinas came home with a big bag of ‘lollipop seeds.’ The two planted the seeds in the ground, watered them, and two days later, Evan went outside to find a giant swirly lollipop and Dum-Dums. 

“He was in heaven,” Rubinas said. 

And so the store Lollipop Seeds opened on Nov. 17 at 4726 N. Lincoln Ave. in Lincoln Square.

Inspiration for the store also came from her son. With her son's picky taste in clothing, Rubinas had trouble finding clothes that fit his style.

"I wanted him to look like a little dude, like a mini man,” she said. “It's really hard because there's a lot of brands out there with teddy bears and cutesy cars, so it's just something that I have been thinking about doing for a long time."

The storefront was the previous home to Hanger 18, a quirky retail store that closed in July.

Rubinas chose the location because unlike her home in Wicker Park, Lincoln Square didn’t seem to have many children’s clothing stores.

“I think there was something missing in the neighborhood,” she said. “Originally, we had clothes for newborn to 6, and now we’re going to expand to newborn to 10.”

Rubinas has a background in sales and sustainability, something she’s transferred to her shop.

“I wanted to keep the belief of sustainability in products; focus on organic and environmentally-friendly items,” she said.

The store carries several local brands, from Pluto Tees in Northcenter to Apple Park organic toys. Pajamas made of bamboo and wool and Chicago-themed hats also line the shelves.

Though shopping locally is important, Rubinas said she’s tried to keep the price manageable for parents.

"I have found that a lot of parents are asking for the product, but the price doesn't correlate, USA-made is more expensive than China-made, so it's trying to appease both sides," she said.