Kid’s clothing store in Arroyo Grande Village to close its doors. ‘I have another love’
A downtown Arroyo Grande store will close its doors at the end of the month.
Hello Village, a baby and children’s toy and clothing reseller, will close around Halloween after owner Krista Bandy announced the closure on Instagram on Tuesday.
Established in 2017, Bandy said Hello Village was a passion project that came from her love of caring for her kids when they were little.
But with the rise of COVID-19, her kids growing up and her passions changing, Bandy said she’s looking forward to a new start outside of the business.
“I loved this until not that long ago, and then I realized I have another love — and that’s definitely music,” Bandy said.
Why is Hello Village closing?
Bandy said Hello Village is a spiritual successor her first venture in the Village, Auggie and Lola.
Where Auggie and Lola — which opened in 2011 and was named after her children — specialized in handmade children’s clothing, Hello Village offered a wider selection of children’s clothing and toys, she said.
“For about seven years, I sewed baby products and wanted to open a storefront, and so we just said, ‘Let’s do consignment,’” Bandy said. “We did consignment, and it’s kind of been a little bit of everything in the last seven years.”
The business moved around in its seven years, jumping from the end of Branch Street to the current Monarch Books location before finally landing at its final spot next to Cafe Andreini, Bandy said.
The business has changed substantially since opening, following a “go with the flow” mentality, Bandy said.
Originally, the store stocked new items mixed with used, but as employees came and went and left their mark, the store expanded to focus on consignment, she said.
However, as her kids got older and the business continued to change, Bandy said she lost some of the passion that fueled the business.
“I think during COVID, when we came out of it and were opening back up, more people were supporting small, and then that kind of just fizzled,” Bandy said.
Later in its life, Bandy hosted live music shows in the evenings at the store as a way to reinvigorate her passion for music.
At night, the colorful and kid-friendly resale store became home to hardcore punk, metal and rock shows.
“Honestly, that was the best thing I think I’ve done,” Bandy said. “It got so many kids together from all ages, and out of it a couple bands have started from the kids that have come here.”
Bandy said the store will host two more shows this month on Oct. 21 and 25 — but that won’t be the end of her musical involvement in her community.
Though she’ll take some time off from running a business, Bandy said she and several friends are looking to open some kind of music venue in San Luis Obispo County.
“I stayed open longer to have the shows, because that is now my passion,” Bandy said. “It’s always been my passion, but now more than ever.”
