On Dec. 14, mooi will celebrate its grand opening in the new
EastSide development at 5932 Penn Circle South. The 1,500 square-foot shop is Pittsburgh’s first children’s organic boutique.
Located on EastSide’s upper deck, mooi--named for the Dutch word for beautiful—carries clothing, crib mattresses and baby products, from dresses made from recycled pillowcases to bedding by Egypt’s
Under the Nile. Prices range from $5 for toys to $200 for suede coats.
Owners and Fox Chapel residents Jill Uhryniak and Emma Gosden, both
Medrad employees, hope to attract
Whole Foods patrons wanting to transition from organic foods to organic clothing. After shopping for organic children’s products in Europe, Uhryniak wanted to bring the concept to Pittsburgh. “The more I talked to people, the more I realized there was a market here.”
The EastSide construction caught Uhryniak’s eye awhile back; she loved the location and developer
Steve Mosites was excited about her concept. “They’ve been incredibly supportive--their flexibility has been amazing for getting things done.” The shop received working capital from the
URA and plans to apply for LEED certification as a business.
Uhryniak worked with
Kolano Design on the shop’s interior, which features eco-friendly bamboo floors, natural wood cases and colorful photographs of children modeling mooi products.
Writer: Jennifer Baron
Source: Jill Uhryniak
Photograph copyright © Jonathan Greene