Photo: Mary Patrick and daughter Janie Brooks McQueen today--not wearing hats but making a ton of them for babies and toddlers. Beaufort, SC, 2009.
Susu & John co-owner Mary Patrick of Beaufort, SC had sewn for family and friends for over 40 years before she got the idea to make and sell a unique baby bonnet based on a family heirloom pattern. Her daughter Janie Brooks McQueen was a natural business partner, with a background in journalism and PR, and experience with small business startup through her publishing company Fine Lines. Janie now lives in Roswell, Georgia with husband Josh and four children, but grew up in Beaufort. The two decided to name the bonnet The Beaufort Button Bonnet in honor of their charming coastal town (which brings added interest as the location of many Hollywood movies including The Big Chill).
Employing Janie's infant twins Sophia Susannah (Susu) and John Lathan as models, Mary and Janie came up with their first bonnet collection, which quickly drew a buzz in Beaufort. Realizing baby boys need sun-cover and style too, they added a boy's bucket hat with the unique button-all-round feature, and named it the Beaufort Button Bucket. The website Janie created started drawing interest from other parts of the country, and the young line soon landed in the Atlanta handcrafter's boutique Beehive Co-op, and consequently in prestigious style e-newsletter Daily Candy (Kids Atlanta version).
After a splashy feature in the Hilton Head Island Packet in August 2009 and inquiries from retail stores , the company was ready to seek a manufacturer's rep and soon landed a big fish in the children's apparel and gift industry, Larry Lucas . More demand required outsourcing help fast, and Mary quickly found wonderful sewing talent right in Beaufort County. Susu & John now employs a sewing team of three and remains committed to not only producing their products in the USA, but in the South Carolina Lowcountry.
Susu & John recently gained a Midwest rep in retail industry veteran Cathy Downey , who is based in suburban Chicago and covers 11 states. A new fall/winter collection debuted this spring, though the entire line is sold year 'round as a popular baby gift. Coordinating reversible diaper covers have been added to the line and sell almost as briskly as the bonnets and hats. Plans for designs for older children are in the works.
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