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TheBuzz Erika Engle |
New Baby Expo expecting
a new arrival later this yearThis weekend's sixth annual New Baby Expo at the Neal Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall will soon have a brand new sibling.
It's a matter of timing, according to Anna Lau-Parish, show manager for Family Expositions.
Couples who welcome new babies into the world after the May expo get a big dose of reality as to the information, equipment and help they need, but the next expo still wouldn't be until May. Exhibitors were also asking about a second show during the year for another new crop of babies and parents, she said.
So, in addition to the May expo, the first New Baby and Kids' Expo will be Nov. 22-23. Geared not just for babies, Parish and her husband, David, will bring in educational toys, videos and books, she said. Note the timing, right before the holidays. "Everyone buys presents for children, so we're trying to bring in the top-awarded toys for the year," Parish said.
Several special events are planned during this weekend's expo, which is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, such as the Foremost Dairies Hawaii Baby Crawling Contest and Hawaii's Largest Baby Shower. General admission is $3.50 but children 5 and under get in free.
More than 100 local and national companies will be among the exhibitors, including Sweet Pea & Co.
Owner Julie Luke, eight months hapai, assures TheBuzz she'll be in attendance.
By day Luke represents lines of accessories and visits retailer-clients. For that, she needs professional attire. As her figure started to change with the little bun in the oven, she realized most maternity wear is not geared for petite women.
Conveniently, she is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco and has worked in the garment industry locally.
Her initial focus has been to design maternity and nursing wear for women 5-feet, 4-inches and under; most of what is available looks "too dowdy," she said. Luke also remembered nursing her first child and the frustration she felt trying to find practical but stylish nursing wear. "There's a lot of frumpy. Too much frumpy!" she said. Her clothing is made in Hawaii.
Luke's SweetPea & Co. has been an eBay vendor of nursing pillows and specialized baby blankets for a few years and will add the maternity and nursing wear to her page as well.
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com