Airlie Baby in Birkdale Village

Sept. 10. Mother-daughter duo Robin Galloway and Samantha Stevens opened Airlie Baby in one of the 225-square-foot tiny retail shops at Birkdale Village less than two years ago. Now, the pair is preparing to expand the concept into a larger, more long-term storefront along Lindholm Drive after a successful incubation period.

The new store is expected to open this fall while the tiny retail location will continue to operate as normal during the transition. They will close the Mooresville location, however.

“It’s been so cool watching families grow with us, and it’s really a dream come true to now be able to offer a bigger, more diverse selection of products that fit the evolving needs of our customers,” said Stevens.

Airlie Baby was born as a small section inside Galloway and Stevens’ first entrepreneurial venture, Airlie Square. The shop at Birkdale Village was the first standalone brick and mortar for the brand, which is relocating to a 1,460-square-foot space next to Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar.

The merchandise mix will include the same core brands as well as new popular labels.

Galloway and Stevens also eventually plan to host in-store community events like story time, mom meet-ups, and vendor demos.

The Tiny Retail District was created during the $20 million-plus redevelopment of Birkdale Village and features four mid-century-designed, freestanding retail shops that serve as incubators for small, local business owners to test their concepts and perfect their operating models before committing to a permanent deal. This short-term pop-up program offers one- to three-year term options.

Looking ahead:

Two new entrepreneurial brands are moving in alongside Morelia Gourmet Paletas: Mon Macaron and Poppy Hand-Crafted Popcorn.

Mon Macaron – Founded by North Carolina native Autumn Hicks, Mon Macaron began in 2019 as a hobby when Hicks started baking macarons for PTA meetings. She eventually monetized the sweet treats, renting a catering kitchen to keep up with demand. Fueled by a desire to create unforgettable customer experiences using high-quality ingredients, Hicks has since opened a production facility, allowing her to venture into consumer packaged goods, and three retail stores, with a fourth opening at Birkdale Village this fall.

Poppy Hand-Crafted Popcorn – Poppy was created out of founder and CEO Ginger Frank’s genuine love for popcorn, combined with a passion to build a better future for herself and her family. Originally opened as a small retail store in Asheville, North Carolina, Frank was forced to close her shop’s doors after five years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and shifted her focus to wholesale. Poppy has since blossomed into a national business that offers playful, one-of-a-kind popcorn flavors using all-natural, fresh ingredients. Frank will open three new retail locations this October, including one at Birkdale Village.