Donna, Travis, Tina and Don Close stand in Barefoot Bandits’ new location in Walden Commons. Call 756-8181 for more information.Signal Mountain residents no longer have to drive down the mountain to shop at one of the North Shore’s boutiques.
The Close family of Signal Mountain purchased Wiggle Worm, then owned by fellow Signal resident Cory Allison, in August 2011. They decided to rebrand it as Barefoot Bandits last July when they stopped offering hard furniture, which had previously been half of Wiggle Worm’s business.
And now, after “a lot of prayer,” they have decided to move the store to Signal, said Tina Close.
There were a number of challenges associated with the Frazier Avenue location and the family had been looking all over town for a new space before finally deciding on the new Signal Mountain location at Walden Commons, she said.
“Signal Mountain won because if you look at the customers who shop here most frequently, the Signal Mountain demographic was a big part of that,” Close said, adding that convenient parking at the new space was also a plus.
A true family business, Barefoot Bandits is run mainly by her and her father-in-law Don Close. Her mother-in-law Donna Close and husband Travis Close are in and out often as well.
“We offer quality, comfortable kids’ apparel that is already well-known and loved in the area,” Tina Close said. “You get really individual attention from us and we really back our products.”
While Wiggle Worm’s clothing only went up to size 6, Barefoot Bandits carries up to a youth size 16. Barefoot Bandits also carries more gift items directed toward the older child, such as necklaces and headbands.
“We were looking for a way to grow the business in a new way,” Tina Close said. “We wanted to expand the age range we served.”
The store also offers candles for parents, with each candle purchase going toward feeding an orphan for a day, she said.
Though furniture is no longer offered – “It takes up a lot of space and doesn’t produce a lot of revenue,” Tina Close said – room and custom design service as well as custom chairs, bedding and window furnishings are available.