Alissa DeRouchie, Owner, Sprout Soup
Your store was inspired by your search for the perfect baby carrier. How did that lead you to opening a natural baby store?
I tried a lot of different baby carriers with my first son. I realized you really needed to try them on before purchasing them. I wanted to be able to provide that to other parents. We carry seven or eight different kinds and at least a dozen brands.
What else do you sell?
The other big item is the cloth diapers. That's something we've really seen growing lately. In addition to that, we sell safe feeding supplies like cups and plates and waste-free lunch things. We have a lot of "Made in the USA" toys.
How did having children impact your desire to own a business?
My oldest son is about to be 7. Back when he was a baby, it was really hard to find some of these things. You had to buy online. It's hard to do online. We thought it would be good to put the products right in front of people so they could really see before making a decision to buy.
You were able to open a brick-and-mortar store 18 months ago after entering an online competition and winning a $40,000 grant. What was involved in the competition?
We had to create a video for a business idea and they picked five that they liked and those videos were
voted on.
What are some of the locally made items you carry?
We carry two different lines of bath and body products -- one made in Athens and one closer to Columbus. We also have Little Alouette, natural wood teethers and play sets made in Worthington.
Sprout Soup
4310 N. High St., Clintonville
614-267-7768
Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-
Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday,
1 p.m.- 5 p.m. Sunday,
closed Mondays