SUNNYSIDE — Popular children's clothing boutique Tiny You will close its original Skillman Avenue location next month, as its owner plans to expand its second, larger location in Hunters Point.
Jill Callan, a clothing designer and mother of two, opened the shop at 46-21 Skillman Ave. nearly five years ago, with the goal of selling unique kids' apparel that differed from what parents could find at traditional big-box stores.
She will shutter the Sunnyside store at the end of July when its lease ends, in order to broaden her offerings online and at her Long Island City location, which opened in 2013 at 10-50 Jackson Ave, Callan said.
"Sunnyside has been an amazing run, and we've got a lot of loyal customers that we love," she said, adding that the move will give her the ability to do more at her Hunters Point shop, which is more than double the size of the Sunnyside store, she said.
"There's a lot more floor space there, as well, so I can expand my product line," Callan said. "I don’t want it to be a sad thing. I really feel like, in terms of Tiny You, that we're growing by doing this. We're going to be able to offer more to the community."
Sunnyside Post first reported on the store's pending closure.
Both Tiny You locations sell a variety of kids clothes, shoes and accessories. Callan, who worked as a kids clothing designer for years, puts an emphasis on independent and locally sourced labels.
She said she hopes her Sunnyside customer base will continue to visit Tiny You in Long Island City, though those who can't make the trip will also be able to buy most of the shop's inventory online.
Callan also plans to remain active in the neighborhood in other ways, as she lives on the Woodside-Sunnyside border.
"I would love to do a pop-up shop here around the holidays. I don't feel like im going to be gone from the community forever," she said. "I definitely want to remain involved in some respect. I love Sunnyside."
