SmartMomma closing, big sale scheduled this week

I'm very sorry to share that SmartMomma, which sells all manner of equipment for babies and toddlers, is closing its doors.

According to the store's Facebook page, the eight-year-old business is going out of business. Online sales have ceased and the retail store is closing. Starting at 10 a.m., Tuesday, the store at 8601-A Glenwood Ave., Raleigh, will offer deals of up to 75 percent off (in-store only). 

Heather Burns, a local mom of three, started the endeavor initially as a website for other moms looking for the best baby products. She'd recommend products and send her readers elsewhere to purchase them. Pretty soon, she wondered why she wasn't selling the products herself.

Burns launched an online store and also opened a retail store in north Raleigh. It was first at the Stonehenge Shopping Center off Creedmoor Road. In 2010, she expanded her store and moved to a spot on Glenwood Avenue across from CarMax. The larger space allowed her to offer classes and space for playgroups.

In addition to offering some great brands of strollers, nursery furniture and other pieces, Burns also carried a big supply of breastfeeding supplies. And, last year, after searching for the perfect toddler pillow for my younger daughter ... of course, I finally found it there.