Attention Mommies, Mumbai Gets Its FIRST Immersive, Experiential One-Stop Baby Store at Worli

When a new parent conceives, they are full of questions, options and confusion. While advice is available in plenty, what they do need is some handholding, especially when it comes to buying something for their precious newborn baby. That's exactly the idea behind co-founders Akshay Jalan and Tejal Bajla's all-new store, All Things Baby at Worli, which was launched on Children's Day, November 14.

Spanning across 5,000 sq ft, this immersive, experiential destination at Utopia City, Worli, marks the brand’s bold next chapter in redefining how modern Indian parents shop, learn and connect.

"We hope to give new-age Indian moms and dads a true experience of testing, experiencing and a community-first approach," says Tejal. The concept is also in sync with the age-old Indian notion of touch and feel before you buy, though the store also adds a new dimension of experiencing and testing before a transaction.

"In this particular category, touch and feel is central," adds Tejal, who, through the store, has also created a knowledge hub. "When parents come in, they can actually sit with our baby crew and interact, as they receive recommendations that suit their lifestyle better. It is a bit of a hand-held approach."

The store is also designed in a way that parents can experience things. Each category zone is intentionally arranged to guide discovery and encourage touch, trial and walk-through rather than pick-and-rush. In the stroller section, there is a path with different textures (grass, concrete and even a slight slope) for parents to actually test it and understand which is the most comfortable for them.

You will also find a dummy overhead bin found in aeroplanes here, so that people can fold the stroller and place it inside to see if it fits and test how seamless the process is with different models. There is also a deconstructed version of a real car in the store that lets parents test car seats.

"The idea is for parents to choose a product, experience it and then make a purchase," shares Tejal. "You can actually discover something online, try it out at this store and then decide how you'd like to go ahead and buy it, online or at the retail shop."

The store also has a lovely cafe and outdoor space for community events. There will be experts who come and speak to the parents, along with prenatal yoga classes and Pilates sessions as well.

In India, even though parents and the in-laws chip in with baby care, mothers would still want to connect with peers and people facing similar issues, hence the community aspect really counts. "Expectant and to-be moms are no longer relying on their parents or grandparents for advice. It is completely driven by peer and community, hence getting like-minded people together is also one of the brand's promises," shares Tejal.

For mothers visiting the store with their toddlers, there is plenty of space to run around and play.

Be prepared to be spoilt for choice here with curated brands (both Indian and international). The aesthetic of the store is minimalistic and subtle, yet welcoming, and its muted pastel colours will instantly calm you down.

The staff is mostly a team of empathetic individuals who are trained extensively on "product and soft skills".

The brain behind the store is a mother herself. "The business was built by Akshay, who is the co-founder. But it was also born out of my motherhood," explains Tejal. "When I became a mom, and I needed a high-quality, premium, international product, I'd have to rely on friends and family who would have to carry it back from overseas or get it from the grey market. When I built a mummy network community, I realised there were Indian mothers wanting high-quality products for their babies, but had no access to these products. That's why I decided to work towards availability and authenticity."

Tejal has a business degree from Kingston University, and her first job was at Unilever as an Assistant Brand Manager for Close-Up and Pepsodent. She then transitioned to a luxury brand and also enjoyed a career in finance with a private bank. She later had her firstborn, quit her job and stayed at home for three years. "As a new mom, I discovered so many gaps in the baby industry and my answer to that was All Things Baby," says the Mumbai-based entrepreneur.