Families celebrate reopening of trendy tot boutique on St. Armands

Three generations of the Morrish and Geere family partook in family fun at the grand reopening of The Beaufort Bonnet Company on St. Armands Circle this weekend. Youngsters bounced around the newly remodeled shop with painted faces and wielding balloon flamingos, with multiple families sporting their "Mommy & Me" clothing sets.

Christie Geere, mother of 3-year-old Elsie and 7-month-old Amelie, said her family has vacationed on Longboat Key from London ever since she was a baby. Now, she gets to do the same with children of her own, and they were all excited for the reopening of one of their favorite stores right before Mother's Day.

"We first visited a year ago, when I was pregnant with [Amelie]," Christie said. "We found out that morning that we were having a little girl, so we came and bought all of our outfits when she was still in my tummy. And now she's here, and we're visiting from London right in time for the reopening."

The children's clothing boutique caters to "babies born with a refined sense of style," and the family-based store reopened Saturday morning after rebuilding from the damaging floods and wind from hurricanes Helene and Milton, conditions even hurricane shutters couldn't keep out.

Store manager Jennifer Bonevento said the store took on 4 feet of water, like many of its neighbors, and she began gutting the shop.

"Nine days later, we took on 3 feet of water and had to start all over again," she said. "We knew no matter what, our goal was to come back stronger than ever."

She said the store managed to keep every single member of staff, even after needing to close its doors for about seven months. Now, they look forward to moving ahead.

The shop is carrying end-of-spring and early summer lines, featuring everything from golf attire to watermelon dresses, in sizes ranging from newborn to size 14.

"We started with a bonnet, and now we're up to so many stores," she said of the brand that originated in South Carolina.

As the story goes, a first-time mother in the company's namesake town crafted a baby bonnet from an heirloom pattern, then got inspired to start the business. She gifted one such pink-and-white-gingham bonnet to a longtime friend in Lexington years later when she had a baby of her own, and that friend purchased and ran with the business.

Laura Fulkerson said she and her daughters flew from Indianapolis to support Bonevento with the reopening on St. Armands Circle.

"We always shop with her and just love her," she said. "It just makes my heart so happy that it's finally here. It's beautiful and perfect."