Grandmas Gung-ho Over Baby Gear Business

The business Glenda Miner runs with Judy Palmer is rewarding in more ways than just its bottom line.

“We get a lot of hugs,” a smiling Miner said.

Much of the affection Miner and Palmer receive comes from people within their own demographic – grandparents either in anticipating or basking in the glow of a visit from their grandchildren. Miner and Palmer started Baby Smart Travel LLC after both struggled to find an acceptable crib in advance of out-of-town visits from grandkids.

Miner was so desperate during her search she called a local furniture store in hopes it rented cribs.

“They actually said, ‘You know, we do get calls for cribs from time to time,'” Miner said.

Miner and Palmer eventually decided they’d stumbled across a niche market waiting to be filled. They read a book about start-up businesses, researched the topic via the Internet, then made a modest investment of $5,000 in a 21-piece, top-of-the line collection of baby equipment.

“We did a lot of due diligence and followed up with several other baby gear rental companies,” Palmer said. “We just called them and picked their brains.”

Now the two rent everything from cribs, car seats and strollers to play mats and buckets of toys. Baby Smart offers daily and weekly rates, and “super saver” packages.

Palmer said business largely has fluctuated, with most of their clients coming from Fayetteville and Bella Vista. She said Baby Smart also has made several promotional pushes, including TV ads and giveaways at the Arkansas Business Women’s Conference, and is in the process of optimizing its Web site.

And while Palmer and Miner concede dreams of larger profits, they derive some amount of contentment in providing a good for other grandparents.

“They’re excited when we come because the kids are coming,” Palmer said before Miner finished her thought.

“And they’re excited when we come back because they don’t have to deal with taking everything down,” she said.

“And they’re exhausted,” Palmer added with a laugh.