Carmen Shyken, Bugs + Bees boutique — Bugs + Bees Boutique owner, Carmen Shyken. (Gabby Gervais / Bham Now)

As a mom herself, Carmen Shyken knows a thing or two about what parents are looking for with children’s clothes: affordable and comfortable designs without sacrificing style. She provides just that at her children’s clothing + accessories shop, Bugs + Bees Boutique in Alabaster. Read on for all the details.

Inspired by family

For Carmen, what started out as a side hustle selling affordable children’s clothes out of her home became a full time job with a storefront. For about a year and a half, she was selling apparel to family and friends on her Facebook page and at local events.

Once she got the ball rolling, she realized the opportunity to expand her business to a wider audience.

“Especially at the events, people were talking about how soft the clothes were and how much they loved the pricing. It made me realize that I should do something bigger instead of housing it all.”
Carmen Shyken, Owner, Bugs + Bees Boutique

She always knew she wanted to open a business with her kids in mind, and with two young daughters that have a passion for fashion, a boutique just made sense. Her freshly opened storefront in Alabaster provides affordable, high-quality, cute clothes for girls and boys.

Carmen took a chance on herself by opening the storefront, as she left her full time job at a bank in order to pursue it. So far, the risk was worth it.

“I took a gamble and decided to leave my 9-5 job to take this on full-time. It’s been a little stressful leaving something where you have a set income coming in, but the feedback we get from our customers makes it all worth it. They’ve been so supportive, it makes me feel like I’ve done the right thing.”
Carmen Shyken, Owner, Bugs + Bees Boutique

Stylish, comfortable + affordable

When it comes to the selection of clothes and accessories at Bugs + Bees Boutique, you can’t go wrong. The spacious spot offers boys and girls clothing from sizes 0-3 months up to 14-16.

Most pieces in the shop are made from milk silk, an especially soft fabric that allows for ultimate comfort. Especially for neurodivergent kids that can be sensitive to certain materials, milk silk is comfortable for all-day wear.

Something unique about Bugs + Bees is the limited quantity of each outfit. The main suppliers for the boutique only produce a certain number of outfits per style, so a lot of the items in store cannot be restocked.

“If you’re shopping and you see something you like, you’re not going to see 50 other kids wearing that outfit. That’s why I kept with suppliers that had that unique aspect of it. I love that it’s one of a kind in a way.”
Carmen Shyken, Owner, Bugs + Bees Boutique

Along with clothing, they offer baby headbands, hair bows, snap clips and a few other accessories. In the future, Carmen plans to expand the business to be a one-stop-shop.

“We kind of want this to be like your one-stop-shop where parents aren’t having to take their kids to three or four different stores trying to piece together an outfit. Being a mom, I understand how that is, so I want them to be able to come in and buy everything they need so they can to go home and relax.”
Carmen Shyken, Owner, Bugs + Bees Boutique

Bugs and Bees Boutique — Tons of entertainment for your kids for distraction-free shopping. (Gabby Gervais / Bham Now)

Plus, don’t worry about bringing your kids along while you shop. Bugs + Bees has a fantastic kids corner, complete with books, coloring, toys, play sets and more.