St. Cloud One-Stop Pregnancy Shop to Open this May
ST. CLOUD -- A one-stop shop for moms who are expecting is gearing up to open Mother's Day weekend in the Granite City.
For All of Maternity, a new store, spa and pregnancy information hub, is moving into the former Hair and Body Works space in Centennial Plaza, on Veterans Drive.
Paula Roufs is the owner. She's been working as a doula for the last six years. A doula is also known as a birth coach. Roufs says she heard every complaint in the book from her clients and knew it was time to make a difference.
"I was getting complaints from every single client. I swear it was every single one who said, I can't find cute maternity clothes that I want to be seen in public in, I just feel like I'm wearing a tent all of the time. Or they would say, I don't know where to find a good prenatal massage or where do I find a chiropractor who actually specializes in pregnancy."
Roufs says these questions and more kept being asked to her over and over again, which is what inspired her to open For All of Maternity.
"So I was getting these questions all of the time about where to find the resources, the products, clothing, and guidance, education that piece. So all of those pillars are what hold up my vision for, For All of Maternity."
Other than maternity clothes, the shop will feature organic products, a spa with a chiropractor specializing in pregnancy, a prenatal massage therapist, a lending library, support group sessions and pregnancy-related classes. Roufs says classes will be taught by area professionals in the store.
"The providers in the area that already teach these classes will now have a centralized location to do them. We have a comprehensive childbirth education series...we are also bringing in a spinning babies class which is not something everyone has heard of, it's about optimal fetal positioning for a smoother delivery. So it's based and stretches and exercises a woman can do during pregnancy to prepare her pelvis for delivery."
Roufs says they will also be having breastfeeding courses, to teach new mothers the basics of how to breastfeed. Other courses in the works are cloth diapering classes, pelvic floor restoration and other classes designed to help women post-pregnancy.
For All of Maternity will be the first store of its kind in St. Cloud. However, Roufs says she did collaborate with another store owner before making her shop a reality. Mama Gracie's was a similar pregnancy store in Princeton.
"So she [Mama Gracie's owner] opened there and I was really excited about what she was doing. I thought, great I don't need to do it because she's doing it. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned and she ended up closing her doors about eight months ago."
After the Princeton store closed, Roufs bought out most the owner's inventory, social media followings and converted everything online.
Roufs says her and her husband are excited to make their shared dream come true by opening For All of Maternity.
"The name has been in my husband's head since three years ago, he came up with the name. He and I, I think finally felt like this was the right time in our lives to bring that to the forefront and to go with it."
Rouf promises when she says her store will be a one-stop-shop, she means it.
"When you first become pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, we're your resource hub. We've got everything you need and if we don't have it we know where you can find it and we'll point you there."
For All of Maternity is set to open the day before Mother's Day, May 12.