Three years ago, Julia Rozenfeld found her calling. The Juilliard graduate and classically-trained pianist turned Wall Street powerhouse took over LOL Kids in Armonk. She quickly revamped the small clothing store and turned it into one of Westchester and Connecticut’s premier shopping destinations for the under-14 set.
Rozenfeld, a Chappaqua resident, has a four-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son. An avid shopper at LOL Kids, she told her husband that she wanted to take it over when the previous owner decided to move to the West Coast. “It was the only shop in Westchester that I liked for clothes for my kids,” she remembers. Her husband initially thought she was joking.
Yet Rozenfeld was completely serious. She moved the store next door to a larger space with an additional floor and added more than 30 new clothing lines. She transformed LOL Kids into a high-end, hand-picked, unique boutique with over 35 hard-to-find children’s clothing brands for girls and boys. From Stella McCartney’s children’s line, Kenzo, Gautier, and Chloe to cult labels from Australia, Bulgaria, and Lithuania, Rozenfeld is introducing Westchester’s littlest fashionistas to her curated collection of clothing. “We offer a unique niche because everything is fashionably fine and hand-picked, and we try to keep the price point competitive.”
For the holiday season, Rozenfeld has chosen several one-of-a-kind items, including unique necklaces for young girls, exquisite newborn outfits, special dresses from Tutu du Monde, and this year’s favorite–giant pompom hats. She hopes people will come in for that special something, whether it be a small stocking stuffer or a more elaborate gift.
“We want to sell things that will make children look and feel very special,” says Rozenfeld. Rozenfeld, who also added photographer to her list of talents, has her daughter Sophie test out many of the girls’ clothing lines and serve as the fashion model for the store.
“We would feel very special to be able to help people out, to meet more people, and to share our vision of beautiful things with them,” says Rozenfeld.
Her favorite part of owning the store is meeting so many new people and connecting with clients. While she has lived in Chappaqua for over 12 years, opening LOL Kids enabled her to meet many more members of the community. And she says that “the most exciting part of my day is when clients text me pictures of their kids wearing my outfits. It really warms my heart.”
Stop in and introduce yourself to Rozenfeld. Experience the latest fashion trends for children, right here in Armonk. Whether you’re searching for French children’s brands like Catimini and Petit Bateau, niche Italian brands like Fun&Fun and Mi Mi Sol, or super-fashionable, reasonably priced European brands like Nikolia, Rozenfeld has them. And she will make sure you can find that perfect, one-of-a-kind outfit for your child.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF JULIE ROZENFELD
Deborah Notis is a writer and co-owner of gamechangernow.com, a free referral service connecting Westchester families to highly qualified instructors. Deborah’s writing can be found in the Inside Press publications as well as on suburbanmisfitmom.com.