The founders of Illinois' newest kids' store –WONDER!– are betting their novel approach will jolt the industry, sparking a change in the way retailers target shopping parents and their children. "There has not been a ton of innovation in (the children's retail) space," says venture capitalist Shane Christensen, president and one of three founders of WONDER!, a nearly 136,000-square-foot store scheduled to open Saturday, in a Deerfield, IL strip mall of big box stores north of Chicago. Unlike industries such as food and beverage, household and sporting goods, children's retail, Christensen says, has not witnessed an unorthodox approach in the vein of Whole Foods, Costco and the Apple store.

"For whatever reason, children's (retail) has been able to get away with (a lack of novelty)," says Christensen, 36, who worked at one time in the Chicago buying office for Ralph Lauren and has spent the majority of his career as a venture capitalist, including tenure with Fore Front Capital Management, based in Chicago and Boulder, CO.

Adds WONDER! co-founder, senior vp and chief merchandising and marketing officer Joe Milano, "(We were) not finding any magic in the business."
Christensen, Milano and ceo and co-founder Bill Colaianni, a former senior executive with Walmart who worked as the chief marketing and merchandising officer for Walmart Central America, are interested in more than magic: WONDER, LLC's five-year plan details 15 to 20 stores with revenues of $500 million, Christensen says, adding he is currently "looking at locations" for store number two, three and four, and expects the second store to open "relatively quickly."

Christensen believes the "sweet spot" size for his retail concept – divined as he and his wife, Victoria, were shopping with their children, now five and three – is an 80,000-square-foot to 100,000-square-foot store.

The retail size makes it possible for parents to shop the way Christensen and his wife would like to: with "all products for the first time in the same location."
That assortment includes an estimated 25,000 products and 100,000 SKUs for ages newborn through seven years in 85,000 square feet, while another 20,000 square feet is designed as a play area for children. The product assortment includes everything parents could possibly require or desire for their children, from strollers and safety-related items to clothing, toys, bedding and furniture.

And while parents deliberate over purchases, they will soon be able to savor sustenance for more shopping and even organic offerings in WONDER!'s in-house restaurant, Bean Sprouts, set to open in January, according to Milano. ??"They are (meeting) such a strong need in the marketplace," says Michael Belenky, co-founder and president of Zutano, which will unveil a 200-square-foot concept shop-within-a-shop in WONDER! Noting that the store will have classrooms and an education space, Belenky adds, "It's not only a retail store selling product; it's a place for families to meet."

Vendors don't seem daunted by WONDER!'s size. According to Milano, 33, who worked at Shopbop.com from 2003 through 2009, children's brands are "not scared by the size" of the new store, nor of the potential for their goods to be discounted, as is often the protocol with big box forums.

On the apparel side, WONDER! will stock, among other brands, Zutano, Tea Collection, Kissy Kissy, and Stella McCartney for Kids. Footwear merchandise includes New Balance, Vans, Hunter boots and Emu. Stokke strollers will be carried, along with models from Bumble Ride and Bugaboo. A large selection of toys, diaper bags and other kid gear will also be featured.