About Us:
Background

Gingerbread Monkeys - a Canadian online baby boutique that offers a collection of only the finest quality baby and toddler products, from gear and accessories to unique gift items. Cofounded by a pair of friends, these "mompreneurs" share a vision: sophisticated simplicity.

Gingerbread Monkeys opened its' virtual doors on November 30, 2006. The concept for the store was born out of necessity by a pair of long-time friends who each have children of their own. Both avid online shoppers, Elena and Marianne found that time and time again, items that they wished to purchase were from non-Canadian online retailers that didn't ship to Canada. When they were able to fi nd stores that shipped to Canada, the combined costs of shipping and duties often exceeded the value of the product purchased.

With that in mind, these mompreneurs set out to set up a unique Canadian online shopping experience. Priority one: to import products not previously available outside the US or UK. Also on the agenda: variety. Gingerbread Monkeys offers practical items that are considered "modern staples" in tending to the half pint set. They also have a generous selection of unique gift items that can only be found in specialty boutiques and not in your average department store.

what's in a name?

Gingerbread Monkeys stems from an unusual nursery rhyme that neither Elena nor Marianne was familiar with, but happened upon in search of a clever name for their exciting new endeavour:

Smiling girls, rosy boys,
Come and buy my little toys;
Monkeys made of gingerbread,
And sugar horses painted red.

branded

With a name picked out, Gingerbread Monkeys required a logo to brand the business, business cards to promote the company, print and web advertising, and of course a website to sell their products. The girls set out to fi nd a web developer that would appreciate the look that they were after - a clean and easy to navigate website. They found a team of mompreneurs themselves, Janet and Michelle of www.janetandmichelle.ca. Janet is a freelance graphic designer and Michelle is a freelance web developer. Together they form what Elena and Marianne like to call the "dynamic duo". Too good to be true Ð everything they needed all in one place Ð online! Janet created a unique logo and essentially developed a brand, complete with a colour palette for the website. Michelle then designed the engine that drives the machine that is now known as www.gingerbreadmonkeys.com.