FAST FIVE Inland Mama's Amy Plass is here for families
Meet Amy Plass, a small business owner, a mom to four and a lover of independent retail.
Outside of work and family, she spends her time working with the Idaho Breastfeeding Coalition, the Inland Northwest Breastfeeding Coalition and Brixy, a group of independently owned brick-and-mortar baby stores. She has been a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician since 2015 and became an instructor to train new technicians in 2022.
1) What is Inland Mama, and why did you start it?
Inland Mama is a specialty baby store with gifts and gear. When I was pregnant with our oldest daughter, I was overwhelmed and unsure of myself and a friend brought me to this magical store called Mother's Haven. Margaret and her staff helped me become the mom that I am today. They had amazing products, wonderful classes and groups that helped me build confidence and the most caring staff I've ever met. When they closed, I wanted to carry on their legacy — but I couldn't do it all at once. Early on, we focused on the baby essentials that nobody tells you will be a game changer, like postpartum supplies or baby carriers. As we've grown, we've tried to bring in products that you can't find locally. We brought in Happy Baby carriers and gear like Veer wagons and Bumbleride strollers, and now Nuna gear. We've also grown our gift selection and have some of the most beautiful wooden toys and gorgeous blankets. But more than products, people come back to us for the product knowledge and support we offer. We're always striving to be the best resource we can for new parents.
2) What does your job look like day to day?
As a small business owner, I'm never short on things to keep me busy. I'm in charge of buying and making sure that we bring in products that fit the needs of our customers. To that end, I am always trying to learn from the people my customers turn to most: pediatricians, lactation consultants, etc. — any professional in the birth and baby world. Many of the products we carry have come out of conversations about what they'd like to see available locally, or products they recommend frequently to their clients. Maintaining those relationships is a key part of my role. I'm also a Child Passenger Safety Technician, which means I am nationally certified to teach families about how to safely transport their children. In order to maintain that certification and to be a better resource for families, I am constantly participating in continuing education and trying to learn about all of the new technologies and trends coming to the market. I'm a better teacher than salesperson, so when I am working with customers my goal is to help customers understand their options and so that they can make the best product decisions for their family. My best days are the ones I get to be there for the people who come through my door. I get to celebrate with the grandma whose daughter had a beautiful baby after multiple losses. I get to reassure the newly postpartum mom that she is doing a great job, and that this parenting thing is really, really hard — and connect her to whatever help and resources I can. Being there for families at one of the most exciting and vulnerable times of their lives is an absolute honor, and my favorite part of the job.
3) What are some trends in your industry at this time, and what are some of the hot products you are seeing?
One of the big trends I’ve been watching is the focus on in-person shopping and the revival of independent brick-and-mortar shops. In a time when we are bombarded all day with targeted marketing and product testimonials from influencers, it can be really hard to make choices based off of reviews on the internet. This is where independent stores like Inland Mama can shine. There is a lot of value in being able to touch and feel products or to have someone help educate and guide you through the process of figuring out what will function best for you and your family. It’s why we put a lot of planning into how we could utilize demonstrations in our shop. Not only do we have demos of every car seat we sell so you can actually see it in person, but we have a vehicle seat on the floor so you can practice installations. And in addition to all of the baby carrier styles that we have for customers to try on, we also have weighted demo dolls to practice with. It's important that the products you buy for your baby are something that will work for you and that you feel comfortable using them!
As far as hot products go, car seats have come a long way. The best car seat is the one that fits your baby (or big kid), your back seat and your budget — and that you can use correctly every time. Some of the new technologies we're seeing in car seats today make it easier to install and use the car seat, like tensioning plates that help tighten the seat belt for you, rotating seats that make it easier to load in your kiddo and harness them correctly or baseless infant seats for jetsetters who use ride shares often or who transport baby in multiple vehicles. I really enjoy showing off some of these newer features, and look forward to bringing in even more gear to the shop this year.
4) Any big events, news or updates you would like to share?
Well, we just moved the shop to a beautiful new space in Riverstone, so that's something we are really excited about! We now have room for way more, including car seats, more strollers and wagons and even a classroom! We'll be starting up classes again this year, so anyone who is interested in classes on infant CPR and first aid, babywearing or cloth diapers should follow us on social media or sign up for our email list for announcements!
5) What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
There are a couple of things that seem to always surprise people about me. First, I started Inland Mama in 2018 with our tax refund and two shelves of cloth diapers in a midwives' waiting room — and we've reinvested our profits to grow to where we are today. Great things can come from small beginnings. The second thing that always surprises people is that this is truly a small, family-run business. My husband helps me to ship out orders from our online store every night and runs our website, and our kids have grown up in the shop. They've been product testers, but they also help with chores around the store. I'm so proud of what our family has built together. We're the little shop with a big heart.
