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Meet Kate Schmitz, the driving force behind Brooklyn’s communal children’s store. Flying Squirrel supports Greenpoint living for parents and kids:

“A great thing about Flying Squirrel is it offers both new and gently used. You can find anything here. It’s the only place I know of where you can buy a Carter’s onesie and a Christian Lacroix blazer for your child. Then, pick up birthday presents. We have new toys for ages 0 to 14. I stock things you won’t find at bye-bye baby, or Toys “R” Us, and I avoid things you’ll find at cute boutiques. When I’m buying for the store I stay away from too fancy or ridiculous. I think from a parent’s point of view.”

Kate: Flying Squirrel was my friend Judith’s idea. In Williamsburg in 2002, when her twins were a year old, she went to throw out their two hardly used giant plastic ugly exersaucers and realized the need for a new kind of baby store in Williamsburg.

A great thing about Flying Squirrel is it offers both new and gently used. You can find anything here. It’s the only place I know of where you can buy a Carter’s onesie and a Christian Lacroix blazer for your child. Then, pick up birthday presents. We have new toys for ages 0 to 14. I stock things you won’t find at bye-bye baby, or Toys “R” Us, and I avoid things you’ll find at cute boutiques. When I’m buying for the store I stay away from too fancy or ridiculous. I think from a parent’s point of view.

I never knew I would become an expert in children’s clothing and toys, but now I am. I love gift giving. I love to know a gift is going to be loved and used. It turns out it is my passion to make sure people get great presents. I’m a painter and I was a professional film editor for 11 years before I opened Flying Squirrel. My friend invited me to open it as a fun thing to do for a few years. Surprisingly, for the first three years I owned the store I was childless and expected to remain so.

We strive to make Flying Squirrel a great place for parents to shop. We keep long hours seven days a week and keep stock for the current season. It’s now August and you can’t find summer clothing anywhere. They’re stocking winter wear. At Flying Squirrel we know that your child could have a growth spurt at any time. We have a steady stream of parents running in for new wardrobes. We also have a steady stream of parents coming from the playground a block away, because something is wet or muddy.

We sell through our website (www.flyingsquirrelbaby.com) and instagram: @flyingsquirrelbk as well as from our beautiful space at 87 Oak Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn near the East River. We welcome buyers and sellers. Our buying hours are posted, but we also offer appointments.

We buy for ages 0 through 14. We are more selective for 24 months or younger. We won’t accept anything with stains or pilling from the dryer. We can’t take anything upholstered or anything for bath, feeding or bedding. We rarely take anything from box stores like Target or Toys R Us etc. This leaves a lot out, but it gets better as these babies begin to age – I promise! We buy seasonally. We only buy from our customers. We do not troll church basements or estate sales. We only buy nice, clean items that we would put on our own children.

I’ve lived in Greenpoint or Williamsburg since 1987. When we opened Flying Squirrel, 13 years ago, it was mostly secondhand. Just a little store where you could grab a few inexpensive, but unusual outfits. Now our customers are more discerning and even if they are dying for a pair of green pants for a school musical the next day, they won’t buy a garment they don’t like.

We moved to Greenpoint in the end of 2013. It was time. Williamsburg became a college town. Greenpoint is where the people with children are moving. It’s comprised of an eclectic group of people. They all seem to get along well. There are the old-school Polish people who have lived here for generations, the growing group of upper west siders, the artists who have made Greenpoint their home for the past 20 years and the young professionals who commute to midtown on the ferry. They’re all having kids.

If you’re in Greenpoint, or nearby, come in and touch things. Or, we’ll see you online and either way we look forward to meeting you!

Kate