Quyen Tran sat with Uglydolls, said to be all the rage in New York City, at Pacifier, her baby store that just opened last month.

taken from the Southeast Angle

Specialty boutiques, a rare breed in Old St. Anthony since leaving Riverplace and St. Anthony Main two decades ago, are flocking to the area once again. Arriving soon to replace the short-lived Vitala Tea at 312 E. Hennepin Ave. will be Bone Adventure, a place to pick up goodies for the family pet.
At 25 University Ave. SE, Grand Avenue’s loss is Old St. Anthony’s gain. Quyen Tran looked for a place to open a baby boutique in St. Paul but settled instead on this former storage area previously separated from the sidewalk by a giant metal door. At first, her reaction was: “This won’t work,” but on a second visit, the space revealed its charm, now fully evident to shoppers.
Pacifier carries clothes for infants and toddlers up to 24 months, as well as Trendy Uglydoll stuffed creatures, “Sex in the City” top-of-the-line strollers, natural wooden toys and classic children’s books. She said architects have stopped in to buy sets of building blocks in various architectural styles. She hopes the shop will attract young mothers she’s seen in the neighborhood (as well as the more plentiful grandparents) and office workers looking for baby shower gifts on their lunch hours.

last revised: March 29, 2006