Exploring Life & Business with Toni Marion of Noiram Kids Boutique

Today we’d like to introduce you to Toni Marion. 

Hi Toni, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
At a young age, my mom introduced me to thrifting. I would tag along on her thrift adventures and watch how she’d pick through the racks and always find something amazing! I never imagined that one day I’d adopt a love for thrifting and later start my own business.

Before Noiram Kids Boutique, I served in the United States Army for 12 years as a Human Resource Specialist. During that time, I got married and started my own family. As a new mom, I didn’t understand how fast kids grow. I found myself buying expensive clothes for my baby that he’d wear once before he was on to the next size.

I thought back to how my mom kept us dressed in the best thrifted finds, and decided to give thrifting a try. My friends started to ask me where I was finding my kids’ clothes. And I would proudly say, “they’re thrifted”!

Everything my kids outgrew was given to my friends with kids, donated or sometimes I would have a yard sale. But, then I found out about kids’ consignment shops and that was a game changer. I loved the whole concept of trading in clothes for store credit or cash and keeping those items in rotation to be reloved.

After I separated from the Army, I worked for the government until my husband was placed on orders to Fort Campbell, Kentucky. As a military spouse moving to a new duty station comes with it’s challenges, like finding new daycares, a support system, and so much more. So, I decided to put my career on hold, and be a stay-at-home mom.

Going from working outside the home to stay-at-home mom life, I quickly realized I needed something for myself, possibly a hobby. I knew I loved thrifting, but wasn’t sure if turning it into business was the right path for me. It was my mother-in-law that encouraged me to start Noiram Kids Boutique almost five years ago and we’re still going strong.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Running a business has not always been a smooth road. In the beginning, the biggest challenge was learning how to manage a website. Thankfully Shopify has always been very helpful and taught me a lot along the way. 

As a sole entrepreneur, you wear all the hats, and in the beginning that was overwhelming. But once I established systems and processes things got easier. There are still challenging days, but I just remind myself that this is a journey. Good things take time. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Noiram kids Boutique is an online kids resale shop based out of Clarksville, Tennessee. Our mission is to provide brands for less while keeping quality first in mind.

We specialize in secondhand fashion for kids, newborn – size 16. All items are sourced in excellent used condition, no holes or stains. Sometimes we find items brand new with tags. Everything is priced up to 90% off retail. And, we offer a buy now, pay later option with Sezzle.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up I was kind of shy. But, I loved singing, writing poetry, making people laugh, comedies and musicals. I got my first job at 15 years old working at Busch Gardens, and have been working ever since.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: Noiramkids.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noiramkidsboutique/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NoiramKidsBoutique/
• Other: https://maps.app.goo.gl/MtfXsphPr4rBCL6WA

Image Credits
Rhiannon Ko
Kenya Davis
Dana Backlin
Toni Marion-Noiram Kids Boutique