The Blue Marble and Little Blue

I opened my first store in Amherst in 2007. I loved everything about having a community-based independent shop, with neighbors who stopped in regularly, visitors from out of town, and the thrill of all of the relationships that were to be made. It’s been such a joy from the very beginning. In 2015, I was approached about opening a location in Thornes on the first floor, and I jumped at the opportunity. It’s truly the ideal location and such a draw to shoppers due to the array of stores, as well as the convenience of the parking garage. The building also has a great energy, history, and a strong sense of community.

In 2019, I had the chance to open a second shop across the hall, which is Little Blue… for the Younger Crew, a children’s apparel, toy, and accessory store. I really love working with baby clothing and essentials, and finding fun and creative clothing for kids of all ages. At that time, I reluctantly decided to close my Amherst store.

The Blue Marble now occupies a much larger space and has evolved from a jewelry and gift shop to a full-service clothing store along with the beautiful accessories and gift options our customers have grown to expect. I did not initially intend to offer so much clothing, but now there’s this whole new experience that’s clearly resonating with our customers and neighbors. Clothing has become half of the business, and it’s pretty fabulous.

It’s also very important to me that we be as size-inclusive as possible. As a round woman myself, I know that it isn’t always easy to find fashionable garments of quality in every size. We carry up to size 2X in an effort to fill that need. Every woman deserves to be well-dressed and feel confident and lovely in their clothing. I want to bring quality to everyone, as well as exciting colors and textures.

I have women who visit the store, try on an item of clothing, and ask if it looks as good as it feels. As soon as I see a joyful expression on their face, a look that tells me they feel beautiful and confident, I know we have reached our objective. I recently overheard a customer remark to her friend, “This place is like an oasis.” That comment alone gives my work meaning and brings me joy.

There’s a feeling of convenience in Thornes; our shoppers have just about everything they need under one roof at their fingertips. Thornes is a bustling hub—the heart of Northampton—and appeals to a wide range of people. The variety of folk we get to see throughout the day is quite wonderful; there are so many kind and friendly people. I feel like Thornes is a sanctuary for our beautiful diverse community, and I’m grateful to be a part of it.

At The Blue Marble, we have some amazing spring clothes coming in daily right now. The colors! The textures! They make my heart sing. It’s been such a long, arduous winter that to have the bright lovely colors of spring come into the store is pretty soul-satisfying. It gives us all an opportunity to step out of our daily stress and into something fresh, vibrant, and new. People will love the comfy cotton “transition season” dresses, summer sundresses, mixed fabric kimonos with a denim detail, and tops in blues and purples.

Our spring purses in shades of lilac, daffodil and grass green, and light and breezy silk scarves are another way to brighten up your wardrobe. We’ve also got wind-spinners back in, which are ideal for your deck or garden. Also, fair-trade, felted birdhouses which are super whimsical and also very usable. I can personally attest that the small song birds love these sweet houses.

There are a couple of new jewelry lines we’ve never carried before, which feature both statement pieces and delicate pieces for layering. We have a new little “desk-cessory” that’s adorable and sure to make you smile. They are happy little faces on durable spring bodies, or what we refer to as a “bobblehead 2.0.” As I’ve said, if it makes you smile, I want it in the shop. Other great offerings include our blown glass flower bouquets, accent lamps with handpainted folk imagery from Wisconsin, and the paper star lanterns everyone loves!

At Little Blue, we have a fabulous line of baby clothes from Spain that we’ve carried for two years and it is just scrumptious. They are lovely to look at and are super soft and comfortable. The styling feels very mid-century modern to me and is reminiscent of what I might have worn as a child. The Twirl Dresses remain a hit, and we have them in all kinds of beautiful spring patterns and colors, with or without the crinolines. We also have spring vibe play clothes up to size 5—we received many requests for larger sizes and we listened!

Other really appealing items are the hand-felted mobiles, which are fair trade, ethically sourced, and environmentally responsible. The company has come out with a bunch of new styles for spring and summer, so for anyone who appreciates a mobile, it’s great that they come out with new ones regularly.

At The Blue Marble, layering pieces are a must-have as the weather gets warmer, but when it’s not quite warm enough to go sleeveless. Mixed fabric kimonos with denim details are the perfect match with the daffodil print sundresses. (We’ve already had to reorder these once and it’s still March!) We also continue to sell out of the denim jackets with mesh insets and a multitude of appliquéd flowers. They are so unique and look great paired with jeans and a tee shirt or a little black dress.

At Little Blue, it’s definitely the Twirl Dresses, hand-felt mobiles, and the clothing line that’s out of Spain. People also love the teething mitts, hand puppets, and activity blankets. And of course, the organic cotton lines of clothing are always very popular. We also like to make purchases “gift ready” with our signature bags, tissue paper, and matching ribbon for a cheerful finishing touch!