Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Galligan.
Natalie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Hi there and thank you for this opportunity. I grew up in Central Illinois and attended Illinois State University in Bloomington, Illinois. I have a Masters degree in social work and worked in that field for 10 years with state government. I then made a career change going into Pharmaceutical sales. I worked in this field for 2 years before starting my own business.
I opened Shoo Shoo Baby Boutique, in Bloomington, Illinois in 2009. Named after my father-in-law’s WWII B17 bomber ,we were a women’s clothing and shoe boutique. My husband and I resided in Bloomington and I ran the boutique until my husband’s retirement from State Farm Insurance March, 2018. We had been planning a move to Central Florida for several years and we were thrilled to make it happen in the spring of 2018. I continued the business in Illinois but lived in Florida and would commute to Illinois each month for a week.
While we lived in Montverde we quickly fell in love with downtown Winter Garden. At the time there was only one boutique and for a growing and thriving downtown, I knew more shopping options were needed. One spot was available in downtown at a new construction location at 117 S. Boyd. We opened Shoo Shoo Baby Winter Garden in October 2019. I continued flying back and forth to Illinois for the following two years and ran both stores during the pandemic. It was such a difficult and uncertain time but I had a strong customer base in Illinois that supported my stores through online ordering while I was growing the customer base in Florida. I was very fortunate to have things work out the way they did. I closed the Illinois store in September 2021 and focused solely on the Florida store.
Over the last 5 years in downtown Winter Garden, Shoo Shoo Baby has continued to grow and in 2024 we moved to a new and beautiful location at 36 W. Plant St. I am thrilled with the new location and we have met so many amazing women that we get to meet and assist every day.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I would say that owning your own business is never a completely smooth road. There are ups and downs, twists and turns but that is one of the things I love. My business has changed and evolved through the years as different challenges have arisen. One of the biggest challenges was moving states and running my first store from a different state. As if that wan’t challenging enough, the pandemic hit just 6 months after opening my Florida store. It was an emotionally and mentally difficult time, but I had faith and trusted that I was exactly where I was supposed to be. I leaned into my beliefs and my faith during those uncertain times.
I am very fortunate to have a strong support system around me with my family, as well as my team that I work with. The women that I have hired and worked with over the years have been great support and friends.
We’ve been impressed with Shoo Shoo Baby Boutique LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Customer care and service are what sets Shoo Shoo Baby apart. You can buy or order clothes from anywhere in today’s market but what keeps our customers coming back is the time and care we provide. It’s about more than the clothing, yes we offer current trends and great quality clothing but we offer so much more. We work with our customers, we spend the time with them and advise them on the best pieces for their needs. For 16 years I have focused on getting to know my customers and forming relationships with them and listening to what they need and want. This is the secret that sets us apart. It’s not a quick fix or something you can rush, but it is important and it’s what my business is about.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love Winter Garden and Central Florida. I love the people and the atmosphere. There is no where else I would rather be than in Florida, I am so blessed to live here.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shooshoobaby.com
- Instagram: instagram/shooshoobaby
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ShooshoobabyVIP
