Good News, Gymboree Fans: The Brand Is Coming Back To Stores In 2020

I think we all have our go-to brands as parents. It's actually such a personal thing that I can't possibly even share mine with you, but I can tell you I'm a longtime fan of Gymboree. My personal fave? Their holiday-themed clothing for boys, since I have all sons. I'm fairly certain my mom friends were fans too, so when the stores closed it was a bit sad. Another reliable brand off the go-to list, right? Fortunately, it looks like Gymboree stores are opening again, which is great news for anyone who loves colorful kids clothes and decent prices. So all parents everywhere, I guess.

The past few years saw the clothing chain struggling to stay afloat. In January of 2019, Gymboree filed for bankruptcy for the second time in two years, subsequently closing its doors, according to CNN. At the time, the company noted it would be closing down more than 800 stores across North America due to the difficulties of keeping a brick-and-mortar retail industry alive when so many people tend to shop online. That being said, it seems there remains a market for shopping in physical stores, after all. That's because Gymboree recently announced its plan to reopen stores in spring of 2020 via an open letter to fans.

As noted in the open letter shared to its website, it was revealed clothing company The Children's Place purchased Gymboree, stating:

We’re working hard to bring back the styles you loved. We’re dedicated to giving you the Gymboree that created beautiful head-to-toe looks for kids with the great quality that you appreciated. We heard you loud and clear – Gymboree is special. Few brands inspire such loyalty and passion. We’re committed to staying true to the spirit of Gymboree, which uniquely celebrated childhood, family togetherness, and let kids be kids.

In an effort to tailor their new line to parents' needs, Gymboree has asked customers to weigh in with what they would like to see, sharing an online survey for their design team. People can reach out with their thoughts on potential styles for kids' clothing and even share photos of looks they love on the Gymboree website.

Children's Place announced in a press release on Oct. 15 that 200 Gymboree store locations will open in spring 2020, as well as an updated website that will offer an enhanced personalized shopping experience for people looking for specialized kids' clothing in sizes from 12 months to 8, according to CNBC. Customers will be able to shop by collection, an easy-to-use app, and even enjoy a shared shopping basket with Children's Place to make buying from more than one brand a little easier, as per the company's website. Talk about a win-win!

Shopping for specialty clothing for your kids should be a fun thing for parents. And although online shopping is awfully convenient, some things you need to see in person to get a sense of whether it will work or not.

Also, let's face it... who doesn't want to grab a coffee and a little alone time to go wander around Gymboree for an afternoon of shopping? Only a few months left to wait, folks.