Just for Kids: Local Children's Shopping Arrives in Hudson With the Poppy Shop

A little black store with a pink door, the Poppy Shop has a big personality. Inside the playful 350-square-foot space, find a yellow feature wall with white stripes on the bottom and a pink scalloped checkout counter with pink and white paper lanterns hanging overhead. From striped twirl dresses and chunky knit sweaters to a sea green goose print backpack and fuzzy white slippers with blush bows, everything inside is just for kids.

“It felt good when you were young to look at stuff for you,” says owner Lauren Donatelli.

The mother of four wanted to give Hudson a local shop for kids — something missing from its robust retail scene. Opened in February 2025, it caters to boys and girls, from babies up to young teens.

“I wanted to have a spot for a couple of different things. One was cute baby gifts, accessories … there was nowhere really to go,” she says. “I have some things for older kids. I have a 12-year-old daughter who likes things like Touchland antibacterial spray or accessories, hairbands and all those kinds of things. There was really nowhere for kids to shop on their own.”

In addition to clothes like bamboo baby sleepers and Big Bro and Big Sis T-shirts, there are a ton of adorable gifts. Find a Warmie plush unicorn, dog or axolotl — that heats up or cools down — with a lavender scent, a Candylab wooden mail truck toy and a LevLov’s ballerina mouse stuffed animal toy with a magnetic-close cheese carriage. Boys like ZipString rope launcher toys seen on the “Shark Tank” TV show. Girls love jelly purses and junior versions of teen items.

“These hairbrushes are a big hit. It seems like something a teenager might use … spa headbands, makeup bags and nail polish,” says Donatelli, gesturing to blue gingham cherry and pink bow paddle brushes and a shiny Gloss & Go pink striped cosmetic bag.

On Dec. 7, kids can be in charge of gifting with the Elf Shop — where they shop inside while parents wait outside. Families can enjoy hot chocolate too.

“We’ll have someone helping them shop. Then mom and dad can come in and check them out,” she says.

Staffers make an effort to learn the names of shoppers’ kids to add familiarity to the experience. The Poppy Shop has been enjoying strong community support — guests like shopping local in a brick-and-mortar kids’ store in place of online shopping.

“People will come in all the time and say, We didn’t have anything like this for so long,” Donatelli says. “To have a place to come in and see some things you may not see everywhere and to be able to touch it, see how it works and learn about it is a lot of fun.”

46 Ravenna St., Suite E1, Hudson, 330-474-9834, shopatthepoppy.com