Distinctive Clothing & Unique Gifts At Cottontails Children’s Boutique

Cottontails Children’s Boutique in Stony Brook carries an adorable assortment of baby and children’s items and it’s the place to come to if you’re looking for a unique gift or distinctive clothing for boys and girls.

The store has a large selection of baby and layette items and shop owner Julie McGuire looks to specialize in certain categories of giftware, from ‘First Birthday’ to ‘Tooth Fairy,’ as well as thoughtful gift items that the staff will happily wrap for you at no additional cost. An assortment of cards makes it the ideal place to get everything in one stop.

“We carry things that big box stores don’t,” she said, which is really important when customers are looking for ‘something special.’ In fact, customers have said that it’s hard to come into the store and not find something you’ll love.

McGuire has a ‘creative’ background, having always done crafts that she would bring to fairs and markets, and now she’s able to channel her creativity by offering customization on many gift items.

“We can put a name on things like gift boxes, and also do lettering on furniture in the store,” she said. Embroidery service, which will take a couple days to get back, is also offered on items such as blankets and hooded towels.

The store looks to own certain categories of goods. For example, it’s the place to come if you’re looking for anything related to ‘Baby’s First Birthday.’ You can find birthday candle sets, bows, plush animals, picture frames, head bands, socks, t-shirts and more.

You can even find a Baby’s First Birthday crown and banners, which makes the store a great place to come to find a gift or to plan a First Birthday event.

Another big category for the store is Tooth Fairy. You can find everything from porcelain keepsake tooth boxes and Tooth Fairy pillows to a Tooth Fairy kit (complete with glitter!).

The assortment really is impressive.

In clothing, you’ll find layette and outfits up to girls’ size seven, along with some toddler boy clothing. But there’s so much more: Rain coats, bathing suits, coats and bows, jewelry and charm bracelets. The clothing selection is ‘distinctive,’ she said, and is described as ‘free-spirited’ and popular with stylish moms.

Gift items include piggy banks, blankets, tea sets, puppets, plush toys, step stools and more. Books are also part of the assortment as well as educational toys. Magnetic train letters are very popular right now. And the store has faux fur ‘belly blankets’ in a range of colors and designs, including giraffe, dog and bear.

“We try to carry something different,” McGuire said. She added that the store can combine items to create a gift set, for example, a book with a stuffed animal.

She added that Cottontails is the perfect for last minute gifts too, noting that many times she’s had customers come in who were on their way to a child’s party.

“They know that we’ll wrap it and that they can get a card here too,” she said. 

Cottontails has been in Stony Brook for 28 years. McGuire was approached by the previous owner four years ago, who was familiar with a children’s shop she owned previously in Setauket. McGuire said she loved the location of the shop in Stony Brook, and is happy she made the move here. About 90% of customers have been shopping there for decades.

Her daughter Dana, who attended Ward Melville H.S., also helps run the store, working with customers and even attending shows to pick out merchandise. Both work on the attractive merchandising of the store.

“We have a very big following of people who come in regularly but we also get a lot of people who are visiting the village from out of town,” she said. “It’s a wonderful place to be.”

Cottontails, 113 A Main Street, Stony Brook, NY 11790.

(631) 689-9147