Why Shop Local

It’s simple.

Image Credit: Independent We Stand

Spend $100 with your local business and $73 stays in the community while only $43 stays with a non-local business. Shop online with a non-local business and $0 stays in the community.

I’m Kristen, and I’m a doula and owner of Baby Time Family Boutique. I started out my shop with an online store in 2012 and opened my brick and mortar store a few months later. People have been shopping with me and learning about all the available resources in our community and building their local support systems for over 6 years!


Local businesses, like Baby Time, provide a service directly to our community. Cloth diapering consultations, baby carrier fittings or picking out the perfect gift, our knowledge is valuable and worth it! We also offer our classroom space for meet-ups, Latch and Learn Support Groups and other classes. If the retail side of my store disappears, so do these wonderful resources.

When you shop local, whether it's your morning coffee stop, a bookstore, or a baby item (yay Baby Time!) more of your dollar stays here!  You are directly helping your schools, local infrastructure, families and other local businesses. I also love being able to offer products made in Iowa too.

So if you’re in the NewBo District, come stop by Baby Time, then check out Brewhemia, The NewBo City Market and eat in one of the fabulous, unique restaurants (don’t make me pick one, they are all so good!)

Show you find value in what we do. Use your dollar to change the world, one little shop like mine at a time.

Baby Time in Cedar Rapids

Kristen Mead has been a doula in the Cedar Rapids area since 2007 and is the DONA Midwestern Regional Director, Iowa Doula Agency Eastern Iowa Coordinator and teaches a variety of classes at Baby Time. When not at the shop, she's enjoying live music in the NewBo District or reading. Kristen lives in Cedar Rapids with her husband and children.