Jon and Quyen Witthuhn, the couple behind Pacifier, a northeast Minneapolis store offering hip, modern baby clothes and gear, might have been the most prepared parents in history.
They'd been in business since March 2004 when they had their first child last year, a 14-month-old boy they adopted from South Korea. So they had a head start on all the homework new parents usually face when picking out strollers, car seats, toys and clothes, which Pacifier now sells through size 12.
"It gives us a bit more credibility," Jon said. "I can now say, 'Well, with our son, this is the stroller we use and we love it.'"
"People were always like, 'You must have so many kids,'" Quyen said. "We were like, 'Ooh, not yet.' At least we didn't have to do any research when we had him. I feel bad for the parents who are overwhelmed by all the stroller choices out there."
Jon and Quyen, who had met at Macalester College, had been talking about going into business. They hit upon their niche when they discovered they couldn't find hip gifts for friends and family members who were having babies.
They took out a home equity loan to finance the opening and Quyen left her job at a nonprofit organization to run the shop. Jon joined her in May 2005 after leaving a human resources job. They opened a downtown location at Gaviidae Common in 2008.
When one is working at the store, the other is at home with their son. "He's a well-dressed and pretty pampered kid," Witthuhn said.
Three and out with Pacifier's Jon and Quyen Witthuhn
- How did you pick the store name?
Jon: It was just a lyric in some punk song. We had been talking about the business and a name hadn't clicked yet. I heard that lyric was like, that's perfect. Nobody else had it and it's a good modern name.
- What's hot at Pacifier?
Quyen: Local. Locally made toys, wooden toys. (Doodletown Toys (hand-made wooden toys from a company in Big Lake) are doing well).
Jon: Unique clothing, unique clothing.
Quyen: Sophie the Giraffe. This natural rubber (teething) toy in the shape of a giraffe. It's been around since 1961 but we can't keep this thing in stock.
- Favorite onesie sayings?
Quyen: "Somebody in Minneapolis loves me" is popular. Our best seller is: "Party tonight, my crib, 3 a.m."
Jon: "An inconvenient poop." And Salvor, organic cotton, animal print onesies are popular.
