Hi friends,

This is one of the hardest emails I’ve ever had to write.

After a lot of thought, a lot of tears, and a lot of trying to problem-solve our way out of impossible circumstances, we’ve made the decision to close Reclaim Maternity Baby Kids. Our final day open will be February 28, 2026.

We are still waiting on final confirmation from our landlord, but in the meantime we will be beginning a full-store liquidation — top to bottom, inside out.

Why We’re Closing

Over the last year, we’ve been hit with a series of compounding issues that we simply haven’t been able to recover from.

1) Our Little Locals Fall line was delayed for months

Our Little Locals fall line was supposed to arrive in early September. Instead, it was held at customs for months and wasn’t delivered in full until Christmas Eve — almost four months late.

Not only did that affect pre-orders (which so many of you supported — thank you), it also created a massive cash flow problem. Most small businesses no longer get net terms, meaning we pay for product up front and then wait… and wait… and wait. When tens of thousands of dollars are tied up for months, things get tight fast.

2) We actually were recovering — until the next blow hit

Despite everything, our Black Friday sales were fantastic. Our Boxing Week sales were fantastic. I was genuinely optimistic about 2026.

3) Our major gear supplier made a decision that took us out at the knees

Shortly after a major baby retailer in Canada announced they were closing, our major gear supplier dropped a bomb: they would not be honoring purchase orders submitted in 2025.

To give context: this supplier sets the sale prices and timing. They ran car seats at 50% off, oversold for Black Friday and Boxing Week, and repeatedly pushed delivery timelines:

• “Dec 15”
  
• then “Jan 1”
  
• then “Feb 1”
  
• then… no updates at all
  

During this time we did our best to communicate clearly with customers waiting for car seats. When we were told “Feb 1,” we offered replacement options because it had become such a mess.

Then, in the week leading up to Feb 1, I requested updates — and received radio silence. When we finally got a response, it was cold and final: they had made the decision not to honor the backordered purchase orders, and they still couldn’t confirm delivery timing.

We contacted every customer with outstanding car seat orders, and I just want to say: you were unbelievably gracious. Truly. Thank you for being better than the situation deserved.

4) And then… taxes.

While all of this was happening, we received notice to refile our 2024 taxes, GST, and PST.

And honestly? That was the final straw.

Outstanding Orders

If you currently have an outstanding order with us, it will be refunded immediately.

This includes:

Car seat orders

Online exclusives

Any other open special orders

If you believe you have an outstanding order and don’t see a refund within the next few business days, please reach out and we will make it right.

The Mental Health Piece

I need to say this part out loud, because Reclaim has always been rooted in family, perinatal support, and telling the truth about how hard things can be.

This year has taken a serious toll on me. The stress and pressure of trying to keep the doors open while getting hit over and over again pushed me past the point of “normal business stress” and into a place that wasn’t safe or sustainable.

I have had moments where I realized I was reading my life insurance policy more than once, and that is not a thought pattern I am willing to normalize or entertain.

I want to be crystal clear: I am not sharing this for sympathy. I’m sharing it because it’s true — and because if my entire business is built around caring about families and perinatal mental health, I can’t ignore my own.

Besties, we will not “figure it out.”

Besties, I am tired.

And I love my kids too much to keep sacrificing myself to keep a storefront alive.

The truth

We tried. We tried so hard.

And at the end of the day, I can look my babies in the eyes and say: we did our best. Now we get to do something else.

What Happens Now

We will be liquidating the entire store over the next few weeks.

If you want to support us through this transition, shopping the liquidation sale is the biggest and most helpful way.

If you come in to shop during this time, please be gentle with us.

Yes, we’re sad. Yes, we’re tired. No, we don’t really want to keep talking about it all day.

Yes, we still love you.

And yes — we still like banana bread.

What about the Little Locals clothing brand?

We’re not ready to say goodbye to Little Locals.

If we’re able to successfully liquidate and close out this chapter in a way that allows us to breathe again, our hope is to continue the Little Locals clothing brand — even if it’s in a smaller, simpler way for a while.

So this is not necessarily the end of everything. But it is the end of Reclaim as you’ve known it.

Thank you for every purchase, every donation, every kind word, every recommendation, and every moment you chose to support us. Reclaim has been one of the most meaningful things I’ve ever built.

With love,

Janel

Reclaim Maternity Baby Kids