Conversations with Gina Rothwell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gina Rothwell.

Hi Gina, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Owning my own shop was something I thought about since high school- I just didn’t know at that time that it would be a baby store. After having our daughter in 2004, while on maternity leave, I thought I would have the time to really figure out what I wanted to do with my life. But, little did I know, taking care of a baby was so much work! Six months few by without my future plan and back to work I went. I suppose it’s a little of the same old story: couples have a baby, can’t find ‘cool’ stuff, mom opens a kids store. I just felt like we couldn’t find much in the ‘mini’ vibe. After my husband Dave found an adorable Metallica onesie online, we thought how cool it would be to have LOTS of band onesies and tees for kids…in an actual brick and mortar shop…in Hermosa beach! At the time, there were several shops in Manhattan Beach but none in Hermosa and we thought that would be a perfect opportunity for a business. So, after another two years of working the corporate world, I left to work for a friend. That friend had an office space in the classic 901 Hermosa Ave. Building (where Lily Floral and Grizzly are) and I noticed a little space (less than 100 sf) with lots of windows that was used for storage.

I was able to convince the owner that it would make an adorable, petite little baby clothing shop. It was 2007, my dream was happening and I couldn’t have been more excited! As cute as the space was, it truly was no bigger than a large walk-in closet. After about nine months, I moved to a much bigger space across the hall, a whopping 200 sf! I was loving the buying process and the ability to be creative and analytical, but most of all to be working for myself! We launched a website and eventually started selling our own designs on Etsy and Amazon. I stayed in that space for about a year before my current space on Pier Avenue opened up, and wow, what a space that was…IS! Did I mention this was all during the Great Recession?? My business was great, increasing every year, well except 2020. ☹ I have an awesome mix of loyal, local customers and happy tourists. My husband and I continue to do design our own local tees and onesies, and I am producing some of my own styles. We love the challenge of continually building our business.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t always been easy. Those first couple of years, I was in the shop all the time with no employees. One of the biggest hurdles was after moving into the larger space, I had some serious debt. It took me a while to chip away at it, but eventually I paid it all off. To this day, I am proud to say I never carried a balance again! Another challenge was just when business was moving right along, the city decided to widen the streets in a ‘Sidewalk Beautification’ project. The finished sidewalks and streets were great, but the construction that lasted for months and into the summer were quite devastating to all the area businesses including mine. It goes without saying that Covid has had the biggest negative impact to my business since I opened. Luckily, I had a website already in place and enough of my own, unique product to have on other platforms like Amazon and Etsy to keep sales going. It did force us to really use social media more consistently to keep our customers engaged. Of course, we pivoted like many other small retailers and offered free delivery, curbside pickup and FaceTime shopping.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Deciding between business, employee or artist was a tough choice here! I have a Marketing/Finance degree, and with my experience over the years at Guess?, BCBG and Skechers in buying/planning, along with having a creative side, I would say all of that prepared me to take the leap into boutique ownership. I enjoy all aspects of the business from window displays to bookkeeping (well, maybe not bookkeeping as much), but I mostly love having created something of my own. 😉 I am really proud of the amazing customer support I have received over the years! There are many elements that set Sol Baby apart from other shops, but providing cool, unique, eclectic product assortments for my customers has been fun and rewarding year after year. I can honestly say I have the largest selection of kids rock ‘n roll onesies and tees in the South Bay. I also have a huge variety of custom Hermosa Beach and California inspired trucker hats, tees, hoodies and onesies that my husband Dave designs and we print locally. I continue to challenge my creative side and get some of my design ideas manufactured locally and abroad. Lastly, I am proud of the design and uniqueness of my shop. I have up-cycled many things over the years and like to use different types of props to display my merchandise in a unique way. I love hearing customers, even grown men, say that this is the coolest shop they’ve ever been to.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
Favorite childhood memory – Growing up in a suburb just outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I remember epic summer days of swimming, bike-riding, playing kick the can and other spontaneous shenanigans with my two younger sisters and the neighborhood kids. My family went camping a lot and even a road-tripped all the way to Sanibel Island in our converted Chevyvan, where we got ridiculously sunburned and collected loads of seashells!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: WWW.SOL-BABY.COM
• Instagram: @shopsolbaby
• Facebook: @shopsolbaby
• Twitter: @solbaby

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