Entrepreneurial sisters expand Bits & Bows offerings for other bigs and littles

Being promoted to big brother or big sister is a really big deal.

That’s why big sister Katie Shelby and little sister Sarah Shelby created merchandise to capture that special sibling moment through their accessories brand, which strives to “add an ounce of magic to someone’s day.”

The siblings own Bits & Bows, a company that began with a signature product: the bow baseball hat, which offers an updated twist on a timelessly traditional sportswear staple.

The sisters, who grew up in Fox Chapel, chose the baseball hat as the foundation of their business because it is a tried-and-true favorite, they said. Something so simple can become so much more, Sarah said.

As they continue to grow their business, they always are looking to add products that complement their mission of making memories that last a lifetime.

One of those memories is the blessing of another child to a family.

“Our customers love celebratory shopping for events for their children,” said Katie, who still lives in Fox Chapel. “Birthdays as well as gender reveals and pregnancy announcements, where children are promoted to big brother and big sister, is a wonderful time in life.”

Katie knows that all too well — as a big sister and a mom of two boys. When she was pregnant with her second child and her son was about to become a big brother, she searched everywhere for something to mark the occasion.

“I wanted to tell my husband that day, and I wanted my older son to help be a part of that,” Katie said. “I didn’t want to order something online and have to wait for it to arrive. I didn’t want to wait another minute.”

Now no one else has to wait either.

The sisters launched items for all those big brothers and sisters and their younger siblings. They have baseball hats and knit hats, as well as tote bags, available at their store in Indiana Township.

“Sales just took off,” Katie said. “People love the big brother and big sister merchandise, which isn’t always easy to find other places.”

Filling a void is a way the sisters have been able to continually grow the brand.

When Danielle Pistorius of Indiana Township found out she was pregnant with her second child, she went to Bits & Bows.

“I wanted a special way to tell our families,” Pistorius said. “I looked everywhere and could not find anything.”

Sarah and Katie helped Pistorius design a big brother hat.

“They helped bring my idea to life,” said Pistorius, who with her husband Michael have three children — Charlie, 2, Michael, 3 weeks, and a baby in heaven. “Bits & Bows is the place to go for those big milestones in a child’s life.”

Everything they do continues the fluidity of the brand, the sisters said.

“There is magic in these hats and stories behind the people who wear them,” Katie said. “Some families want matching hats for vacations or other events. It is not just selling products but creating memories.”

Customers can customize most of the items by selecting a color and adding a monogram, which is key part of their business.

The shopping experience includes the ability to have products monogrammed in a timely fashion. The sisters purchased a 15-needle Tajima embroidery machine, which can be used to personalize an item with a name or initials.

On the website, customers can see what a monogram will look like. Having a virtual component is important for customers to be able to visualize what a product will look like, Katie said.

Another area where there was a void was hats for children with college and university logos and hats with country club and resort logos. Bits & Bows makes officially licensed hats for the University of Georgia, University of Tennessee, Clemson University, Louisiana State University, Texas Christian University, University of Arkansas and University of Mississippi — all areas where they have the highest wholesale business.

Sarah, who now lives in Hampton, said they often meet couples who may have met or gone to a college or university and now are having a baby and want the baby to wear a hat with the team logo.

“It comes full circle,” Sarah said. “It was a natural for us to create these.”

They sell more than 150 products and are in more than 1,000 retail locations across the U.S.

Another new area is knit hats, which helps to create a year-round business from spring and summer with the baseball hats into fall and winter with knit hats. They opened a store this summer.

“They can come to the showroom and see what we have,” Katie said. “We want to empower other women. There is value in helping other women. We deliver joy. It is cool to see how far it’s come. It takes sacrifice to be able to balance it all.”

Having a supportive husband helps said Katie of her husband, Brad. The sisters’ three siblings and parents, Chris and Judy Shelby, also have always supported their venture, they said.

They are in the process of planning to launch their first apparel, B&B Toggery, in the spring.

They have been able to hire employees who they say truly believe in the brand, which enables the sisters to focus on developing new ideas.

“We had a high vision for the team we wanted to build,” Sarah said. “We have a unique story we want to tell, and part of that is meeting our customers. We are a family business, and it’s about trust and accountability.”

With the growth, they are opening their own wholesale showroom next year at AmericasMart in Atlanta. It’s a place where they can showcase all of their products.

The company launched June 16, 2021.

Its foundation is built on creating childhood memories like the ones the sisters had growing up in Fox Chapel, they said. In the store, there is an area set up for youngsters to play while the grownups browse through racks of merchandise for their little ones.

Serving as role models

New for the holidays this year, they created a 12 Days of Accessories advent calendar with satin bows, scrunchies and bracelets. Also this holiday season, the store has been filling up with donations of toys, books, children’s bedding and coats for Foster Love Project. They will be collecting through Dec. 13.

Bits & Bows is partnering with debutantes from the Cinderella Ball for the collections for the Foster Love Project.

Both sisters were debutantes, and they want to be role models for the young women. They attended Fox Chapel Country Day School and graduated from Shady Side Academy.

“We want to be a source of leadership for these women,” Sarah said. “It is so nice to celebrate what we do and offer unique experiences for these girls.”

The ball is the oldest charitable event in Pittsburgh and one of the longest-running debutante balls in America. In traditional cotillion style, debutantes are presented to society on the arms of their fathers or presenter during the annual ball.

Jina O’Neill, director of development for the Foster Love Project in Wilkinsburg, collaborated with Bits & Bows and the debutantes from the upcoming Cinderella Ball.

O’Neill said the joy she sees on the kids’ faces warms her heart. She said they provide a free store for children and their families. She said they help 1,000 children a year.

She said the plan is for the children to be in foster care temporarily and to be reunited with their families.

“It has been great to work with Bits & Bows,” O’Neill said. “I love their commitment to giving back. There is need all year long but even more during the holiday season.”

Being able to partner with the debutantes is a way to help with the leadership forum, which is part of their responsibility.

“We want to continue to make an impact,” Sarah said. “I believe we are here to do that. We will keep moving forward. Our hope is for Bits & Bows to be an experiential brand. We turn moments into memories. We are passionate about bringing a customer’s dreams to life.”

Bits & Bows is located at Indiana Crossing, 715 Dorseyville Road, Indiana Township.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

They offer personal shopping appointments.

Details: shopbitsandbows.com