Just off the Square, under a new, snappy black and white awning, there is a shop with a green door that invites you to see what can happen when a family comes together to launch a kid’s clothing and gift business. Snapdragon Kids, located at 113 W. Washington St in Athens is the brainchild of Tiffany Seibert, the wife of City Councilman Chris Seibert.
But Tiffany will be the first to tell you that everyone in the family has made it possible for Snapdragon Kids to take off like a rocket. First of all, the name came from their son Brock. He was into knights and dragons, (and said that was the boy’s part,) and the snapdragon flower was for the girls. He came up with this idea before the Seiberts moved back to Athens, and while Tiffany was doing the online version of Snapdragon Kids from home in Birmingham.
The Seibert men folk got into the personalization of the shop, which included new carpet, some repairs, painting, the adventures of dealing with electrical wiring in an old building, and David, who loves to do wood working, also refinished the cash register/checkout counter. Tiffany’s mom, Debi Davis, works on Saturdays, and Tiffany says her mom “loves it so much she comes up here every day.”
The shop is adorable, and has a place for kids to play, and a wrapping room. There are genuine Beatrix Potter books, a gift registry, excellent educational toys, (including interactive writing books by Literacy,) and worm farms. There are dolls made of organic cotton and stuffed with corn silk, and a full line of dolls by Gotz.
One of the things that inspired Tiffany to carry certain lines was the desire to help the economy of Athens. “I had friends who were driving to Huntsville to get Flit and Flitter clothes. Her other exclusive line is Luigi’s, and Wes and Willy for boys. Some of her other favorites are Twirls and Twigs, Rag Dolls and Rockets, and Kensie. She is also an authorized Under Armour dealer.
The moment I walked into Snapdragon Kids I spied one of the cutest dresses I have ever seen. The fabric was camo, and had the most intricate, beautifully crafted smocking and shirring at the yoke. Camo and smocking are an unlikely combination, to be sure, but it worked! There were shorts for boys, made of the same fabric, and apparently two outfits had been purchased for a brother and sister who were going to have a portrait taken that Tiffany said were perfect for the occasion.
Another line that Snapdragon Kids carries is called “Remember Nguyen,” (pronounced “when”.) They are from Vietnam, and are works of art. The handwork is stunning, and the dresses are affordable heirlooms. Remember Nguyen finds villages that they describe as “quaint but poor,” and they offer scholarships to villagers who want to learn the art of needlework that is all but gone in our mechanized world.
Snapdragon Kids carries clothes by The Bailey Boys, Know Wear Kids, and Ida-Clair. The loft in the store is set aside for “tweens,” and will be open by Tax Free weekend, August 2nd,
3rd and 4th. The fall line is arriving, Tiffany will be going back to market one more time for the last of the back to school purchase, and the summer apparel is on sale right now for
50% off.
A local Athens woman started her own clothing line called Kiddo’s Klothes. Her specialty is dresses in Athens High School Golden Eagle colors that look somewhat like cheerleader
outfits. Snapdragon is also a place to get clothing for private schools. One of the things that was important to Tiffany was to have beautiful clothing at affordable prices. “We have a wide variety of prices, something for everyone. There are polo shirts for $8, and dresses go up to $58. Nothing is over $60 in the whole store.”
She continued, “When the owner of Kids’ World retired, I knew we needed another option for children’s clothes. I wanted a store that was fun for both the parents and the kids to come to for a special outfit, a birthday or baby gift, or a place for grandparents to bring their grandkids. A woman was asked by her granddaughter if they could go back to the shop ‘with the green door,’ and I even have grown men come in here and say, ‘I just want to tell you how glad I am that you have opened up.’”
Come and check out what Snapdragon Kids is all about, and see if you don’t agree.
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
