The last chapter of a remarkable Tasmanian success story will be finalised by the middle of next month when the doors of Mother Goose Baby Shop close for the last time.
Like the television advertisement we have all seen dozens of times over the years promoting the business, a generation can say in unison “We love(d) Mother Goose”.
Sadly, after a 31-year history present owners Craig and Allison Wilson have decided to call it a day on the iconic Kingston business which has a statewide customer base with a five-star reputation.
The young couple took over the business in 2010 after deciding to “have a crack”.
It was established in 1995 by George and Wendy Dehan and operated out of Channel Court in Kingston before another move in 2010, then moving up its present site in Westside Circle, seven years later.
The Dehan’s originally set it up as a hire business where baby needs such as port-a-cots and car seats could be hired.
Slowly the business model changed over the years, and it is now recognised as the premier small baby and toddler store in the state.
But now the challenge to keep going has become too much, hence the Wilson’s hard decision to quit.
“We started this journey simply wanting to create a retail experience that felt like family.
“We never sought awards or accolades,” Allison said.
“For us, the greatest reward was always the nervous, excited smile of a first-time parent, or the look of love and pride when you brought your new baby back into the store to meet us.
“Throughout our journey, we have been incredibly fortunate to encounter remarkable individuals who have enriched our lives and our business.
“We have had the privilege of employing 15 locals.
“We are proud of our drive for car seat safety, being strong advocates for Extended Rear Facing and best practice car seats, we have installed over 15,000 car seats with free Accredited Fitting.
“And we have received over 600 five-star reviews across Google and Facebook for this service.”
Mother Goose has also been proactive supporting many charities over the years, from donations of travel prams for families who have had to travel for medical reasons, to the many Car Seat Donations for families in need, lending a kind hand to individuals struggling to meet life’s challenges.
The list of charities supported includes Make-A-Wish Foundation, Tassie Us, The Nappy Collective, Variety TasBash Puff the Magic Dragon, Ronald McDonald House McHappy Day as well as school and sporting clubs.
As for the future Craig and Allison have no plans at this stage.
They each have other jobs which they will continue.
In the meantime, literally hundreds of Mother Goose customers can be thankful for the care and attention paid to their newbies of a couple dedicated to their needs.
Mother Goose will close on June 20.
