By Dan Pearson

The idea of a children’s boutique is a risky proposition because if handled too indulgently it could end up precious and saccharine, sort of like when you scan the Pottery Barn for Kids catalogue and wonder if any ten-year-old really needs a $1400 trundle bed and a life-size photo of themself flying a drone. Under the direction of owner and curator Hilary Hardaway, however, Bluebird Day on Water Street gets the balance just right with a selection of clothing and gifts that are smart, fun, surprising, and practical, kind of like a cross between concept store Colette in Paris and the LoLo gift shop in Watch Hill. This “boutique for the young” targets infants to adolescents. You’ll find beachwear, hats by Big Truck, sunglasses, superhero capes, shoes by Freshly Picked, cards and stationery, and all sorts of parent-conscious this and that for downtime or the long ride, including wooden airplanes, sunscreen and bug spray, or a wonderful Andy Warhol coloring book with the iconic Velvet Underground and Nico banana on the cover. Hilary hand picks all the stock and updates the store’s Facebook page with new arrivals. Located in the former Yellow House on Water Street, the store is also community conscious, recently, for example, donating a portion of its sales to local summer camps. 

bluebirddaykids.com