Kelly Moreland's Mama Goose and Mimi's Attic: A Homegrown Ithaca

In 2003, **Kelly Moreland** launched **Mama Goose**, a children's resale shop in Ithaca, driven by both the need for employment and a passion for home-related interests. The business quickly outgrew its initial space, leading Moreland to purchase a building in 2008 to establish a permanent home for Mama Goose. Capitalizing on an adjacent vacant storefront, she opened **Mimi's Attic** in 2010, specializing in furniture, housewares, and home décor. Both ventures, rooted in Moreland's personal interests and a desire to create shops she herself would frequent, have carved out distinct identities and loyal customer bases within the Ithaca community.

• Kelly Moreland founded Mama Goose in 2003 and Mimi's Attic in 2010 in Ithaca, NY.
• Both businesses are rooted in Moreland's personal interests in home goods and children's items.
• Moreland purchased the building housing her businesses in 2008, securing a permanent location.
• The businesses cater to distinct but related customer bases, offering a mix of buy/sell and consignment models.
• Moreland's entrepreneurial drive stemmed from both necessity and a desire to create shops she would personally enjoy patronizing.

Kelly Moreland founded **Mama Goose** in 2003 and **Mimi's Attic** in 2010 in Ithaca, NY. Mama Goose focuses on children's items, while Mimi's Attic deals in home décor and furniture, operating on a buy/sell/consign model. Moreland relocated to Ithaca from Los Angeles with her family approximately 10 years prior to the article's publication (2012), citing lifestyle and family-raising as primary motivators for the move. The businesses are located in a building Moreland purchased in 2008.

Kelly Moreland's entrepreneurial journey with **Mama Goose** and **Mimi's Attic** exemplifies a successful model of building businesses around personal passions and community needs. Her strategic acquisition of property and expansion into complementary retail sectors demonstrates astute business acumen. The businesses not only provide valuable second-hand goods but also offer employment opportunities for women transitioning back into the workforce, fostering a positive economic and social impact in [[ithaca-ny|Ithaca]].

While Moreland's businesses appear successful, the reliance on a specific geographic location like [[ithaca-ny|Ithaca]] and the niche markets of children's goods and home décor could present long-term vulnerabilities. The article, published in 2012, doesn't detail the businesses' performance in the intervening years, leaving questions about their sustained growth and adaptability to changing consumer trends or economic downturns. Furthermore, the model of employing women transitioning back to work, while commendable, may face challenges related to training and retention.

Originally reported by Ithaca Times