Jun. 12--ELLIS -- When Kids Again, a children's clothing store in downtown Hays, closed about two years ago, Jessica Jimenez, her mother, Dawn Schmidt, and sister-in-law Teresa Schmidt bought the inventory, furniture and display racks in hopes of opening something similar.

Now, two years later, after finding the right location, the trio has opened The Closet Shop at 806 Washington.

"We had to do something and find a spot where we could have our kids here," Jimenez said. "We're stay-at-home moms."

The Closet Shop offers new and gently used children's clothing for premature infants all the way up to size 14 and 16. It also has some small furniture and strollers in its inventory.

The store offers something Jimenez has missed since Kids Again closed.

"I loved being able to go into Kids Again and find things that you couldn't find at Wal-Mart," Jimenez said. "If my kids had a spring concert and it wasn't the right season at Wal-Mart, I couldn't get my clothes."

The Closet Shop's inventory includes clothing Jimenez and Teresa Schmidt picked up during several weekends of garage sales prior to opening May 23. They also give people bids for clothing dropped off at the store; however, they are not accepting clothes now because they can't display everything they have.

"It will be always changing and always moving," Dawn Schmidt said of the inventory.

Jimenez and Teresa Schmidt make many accessory items such as blankets, quillows and Boppy pillows to go along with clothing. They also have a Railer's Corner with homemade Ellis Railroader clothing for young children.

"Sometimes when it's slow, we do our stuff up here," Jimenez said pointing to the two sewing machines in the back of the store. "Teresa and I will take our sewing machines home (too) and do our work at home."

Dawn Schmidt, while keeping her day job at Insurance Planning, offers Grammy's Cupboard -- which is a series of displays throughout the store of Watkins home care products. She also makes Grammy's Gourmet Lollipops to sell at the store.

"That's why we named it The Closet Shop -- it's not just kids' clothing," Jimenez said.

Besides taking care of the retail store, Jimenez and Teresa Schmidt look after their nine combined children younger than age 11.

Along with offering sufficient retail space, The Closet Shop has a play area, playroom, fenced-in backyard and a kitchen for snacks.

Jimenez said she tries not to take home too much of the inventory for her own children.

"Clothes are so much fun, it's hard not to take everything home," Jimenez said.

"We tell ourselves if our kids are dressed cute, that's good advertisement for our store."

The Closet Shop will have a grand opening June 27. The store is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

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