Living the Fairytale

Who can resist an adorably dressed child clad in sweet prints, resilient fabrics and charming accessories? Not many! Lina Piccolina, an affordable, upscale children’s clothier in historic East Greenwich is worth a look. Owner Teresa Coletta has taken her decades of professional interior design experience, stirred in her many European shopping excursions and combined them into a sophisticated, fun shop.

Located at 58 Main Street, directly across from The Odeum Theater, this garden level children’s shop sets the stage for an enjoyable, one-of-a-kind shopping experience. The delightful atmosphere of a fresh, yet old-world European charm comes through in the way this unique shop is arranged and decorated. Special touches like fresh flowers, cheerful music and mesmerizing merchandise like antique doll carriages and fluffy stuffed animals evoke a magical feel.

Coletta, an educator at RISD for many years, has applied her keen eye and expertise in mixing and matching patterns and textures with both the impeccable merchandise and enchanting décor displayed throughout her cozy store.

Lina Piccolina in Italian means “Little, Little, Little” and was created to make beautiful, stylish, easily maintainable children’s apparel available at less than retail prices. “Our store is unique because we carry preowned, new, designer and three custom lines tailored especially for Lina Piccolina customers,” shares Coletta. This month marks the store’s two year anniversary in business.

Welcoming and completely kid-friendly, shoppers can browse through the well-organized displays of girls’ and boys’ apparel for newborns to age six while children can read, have pretend tea parties, color and enjoy the many toys in Lina’s cozy play area. Scrumptious shortbread cookies, coffee, tea and hot cocoa are complimentary and always available for the store’s guests.

You will find European & Designer clothing by Splendid, Olive Juice, Charlie Rocket, Wes and Willy, Burberry, Baby Lulu, Lili Gaufrette, Lilly Pulitzer, Corky & Co, Mini Boden Naturino, Hanna Andersson, CrewCuts and many more in addition to accessories such as shoes, hats, scarves, headbands, stockings and socks.

“We carefully select each item based on current trends, seasonality and most importantly condition,” Coletta says with great pride. Each of the pre-owned items are pristine and presented with great care whether it is a little girl’s bathing suit, a handsome boy’s seersucker, First Communion outfit or an every- day pair of polished cotton Capri leggings with a whimsical tee. The staff at Lina can help you put together an outfit, select a precious baby shower gift or create an entire wardrobe for your child. They are familiar with every piece of clothing in the shop and they adore dressing children in high-end fashions on an extremely family-friendly budget.

In addition to the large inventory of apparel and accessories, Lina Piccolina is one of the few retailers who carry PlanToys. This creative line inspires children’s imagination as well as promoting their physical and intellectual development and are made from non-toxic, natural materials.

Customers who shop at Lina Piccolina’s during their birthday month of June will receive additional discounts as the store celebrates with summer sales and fun activities for the family.