Ambrosia Vae Baby Boutique is located at 113 Portage Avenue in downtown Three Rivers, across the street from the Carnegie Center for the Arts.

Another new business has been added to Historic Downtown Three Rivers, one catering to the needs of the very young set.

A December 11th ribbon-cutting conducted by the Three Rivers Area Chamber of Commerce and its Ambassador Committee helped celebrate the grand opening of Ambrosia Vae Baby Boutique at 113 Portage Avenue.

The business is owned and operated by the mother/daughter combination of Holly Hart and Amber Witt, respectively.

When asked about the name of the store, Witt said, “My name is Amber Vae and we wanted the name to be a little bit fancier so we just ‘fancied up’ Amber and made it Ambrosia.  And my middle name is Vae.  My mom’s middle name is also Vae, and my daughter’s middle name is Vae, so that’s where Ambrosia Vae’s Baby Boutique came from.”  (Amber_Witt_audio clip – :17)

Amber Witt and her mother, Holly Hart, at the counter that’s a distinctive feature of their new store on Portage Avenue.

Hart said, “We wanted something different than what you could get in the normal department store-type-settings, something unique, something special for your precious little babies and little children that grandmas can come in and spoil their little kids.  I’m a grandma and I love doing that for my little girls so that’s why we decided to do something like that.”  (Holly_Hart audio clip – :26)

The store bills itself as providing a “unique collection of baby and children’s clothing and accessories.”  Witt said, “We have a really beautiful dress line.  It’s Isabella and Chloe and they’re really detailed, really lacy, lots of sparkles and just lots of details.  That’s one of our favorite lines.  We also have a line called Bobbinette for little boys.  It’s a very classic little boy look – bibs, corduroy, flannel shirts.  We have a  Harley line also for the little boys.”  And Witt added, “We’re always going to carry a section that’s ten dollars and under – brand name stuff ten dollars and under – so if anyone is looking for a bargain, we have that right here, too.”

The store also carries accessories such as “piggy banks, little rubber duckies, (and) fancy little blankets by Patricia Ann Designs.”

Ambrosia Vae Baby Boutique features a “unique collection of baby and children’s clothing and accessories.”

Witt said she and her husband purchased the building three or four years ago.  She explained that she has “always loved the downtown and been into downtowns, in general, and always had a dream of doing something” in her hometown.  She said they “finally got some money together” and she and her mom “put their ideas together.”  Witt said, “I have two little girls so they have inspired me.  I’m always out shopping for cute stuff so why not my own little shop?”  Regarding her and her mom, Witt said, “We’re major shoppers!”

The store occupies a portion of the space that for many years was home to Matt & Mike’s Eatery.  The restaurant is moving and is slated to re-open soon in a new location at South Lincoln and West Michigan avenues in Three Rivers.

A good deal of work went into transforming the former dining area into Ambrosia Vae Baby Boutique, work that Witt described as “definitely a team effort.”  She said, “My dad helped, my mom helped, my husband, grandparents.  Everybody in the family pitched in something.”  In the course of the project, they tore out the drop ceiling, ripped up three layers of flooring, refinished the wood flooring, painted, wallpapered, did upholstery work – “just lots of fun decorating ideas.”  Witt said, “Everybody in my family has good taste.  We all added something.”

One of the distinctive features of the store is the counter.  Hart said, “We just kind of collaborated on some ideas and wanted a more feminine-type area so we upholstered it and padded it, and then we have a ceramic top to it and lots of wood detailing in the store,” features that make the store “more homey and warm.”

Amber Witt joins her mother and partner, Holly Hart, for the December 11th ribbon-cutting that helped mark the opening of their new store in downtown Three Rivers. Shown (left to right) are Christy Trammell, Ben Harrison, Kelly Lusk, Witt, Barry Miller, Hart, Lynn Lorenz, Lisa Ludwig, Melissa Barlow, Mike Zolen and David Marsh. Also in the photo are Witt's two daughters, Harley (held by Grandma Hart), and Ava, standing and eying the ceremonial scissors for the ribbon-cutting.

Witt is looking toward serving the needs of Three Rivers residents and those in surrounding communities, as well as customers from as far away as Kalamazoo.  She said, “I don’t think there’s anything in the way of baby clothes in Constantine, Centreville, Mendon, Schoolcraft, any of the surrounding area so, hopefully, we can draw some business from all those areas.”

Ambrosia Vae Baby Boutique is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 to 6 and on Saturday from 10 to 2.  You can reach Holly Hart at (269) 506-5404 and Amber Witt at (269) 267-3596.

Hart said, “We’ll be getting new merchandise in all the time.  Hopefully, we just grow and expand.”

To hear an interview with Amber Witt and Holly Hart – recorded by Bruce Snook of the River Country Journal – click here (8:44 – 8 MB).