the goose is on the loose

April is just around the corner, and with it comes the count down to Mama Goose's Grand Opening in its new and improved home. The current store is well loved, but at 850 square feet, has outgrown itself. The new location on State street is an amazing 3000+ square feet, bursting with potential!

Kelly, Mama Goose's owner, brought me on board a couple of months ago to help with the store layout and design. We've been collaborating on everything from retail displays to children's play spaces. The main objective has been to maintain what everyone has grown to love about the store, but with an updated, fresh new look. This will also include better organization and more designated places for children to play while their parents shop. The whole process has been such an exciting challenge, creating an innovative space on a shoestring budget! We're going for an industrial-retro look, incorporating many salvaged materials. The building used to be a hardware store and the walls were lined with peg board. Spruced up with paint and bulldog clips, some of the original pegboards will be reinvented. Ithaca is so lucky to have a great resource like Significant Elements for architectural salvaged materials. We've found fun new ways to use doors, screened windows and more! Stay tuned for pix as we get closer to moving in.

Right now, the main entrance is covered by storage sheds. You can only see in through two windows off to the side. Downtown neighbors have been curious about what's going on. I came up with a window display that hopefully will answer some of their questions. I created a life-size Mama Goose, the store's namesake and icon. Next, I cut out child-sized clothing from newspaper, and hung them with clothespins on a line. The goose, standing on an overturned galvanized washtub, asks, "Have you heard the news?". Each outfit shares a bit of info about the new store, and creates anticipation for the projected opening at the end of April..