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Featured in Philadelphia Magazine
May 2008 Edition
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Photo by: Jeff Fusco
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When Theresa Benincasa gives you a tour of her new Parisian-playroom-evoking children’s boutique, Peanut Butter & Jane, she laughs at the store’s small size and says, “Okay, here it is!” She may joke about her pint-size shop in Wayne, but she’s packed it so efficiently with oodles of well-chosen girl-and-boy stuff that it takes a while to comb through all the goods. Benincasa’s vision is clear — she’s got on-trend but age-appropriate preppy-meets-urban offerings like onesies for twins that say “Wombmates” from Kidsblanks by Zoëy, paisley messenger baby bags from Kalencom, and sweet spring dresses like this one from Matilda + Company ($80), perfect for your green-girl in the making: Each frock is rehabbed from vintage fabric, making it truly one-of-a-kind—just like its rosy-cheeked recipient.
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Malvern mom with fashion flair opens teenybopper boutique
 Malvern mom, Theresa Benincasa, applies her fashion savvy when it comes to selecting hip clothing for her new children's boutique, Peanut Butter & Jane, in Spread Eagle Village. Photo by John Welsh
On this day, Theresa Benincasa is the perfect accoutrement to the green-and-cotton-candy-pink façade of Spread Eagle Village's newest children's boutique.
She was pretty in pink herself, literally from head to toe: pink headband, pink fingernail polish, pink circles on her blouse and pink socks. She appeared as color-coordinated as th soft hues of designer ensembles on the racks and shelves of her tidy boutique, Peanut Butter & Jane.
"I think I have a good sense of fashion," says the Miami-born, New York-bred, Malvern mom of two.
Benincasa's entrepreneurial background includes owning three Hollywood Tan franchises. She sold two of the franchises and now owns one. (Her bronze skin tone hints at some quality time in the tanning bed herself but she explains the skin tone is natural – her parents are from Puerto Rico). Her penchant for fashion and can-do attitude ("I don’t like what-ifs") is the motivation behind her latest venture, a hip clothing shop for newborns to about third grade.
"I'm definitely a go-getter," she says.
The perky name, Peanut Butter & Jane, is the owner's quirky way of telling customers that she offers clothing for both boys and girls: "Peanut Butter" refers to the boys' clothing lines and "Jane" is the girls' apparel. But as she quickly points out, there is more "Jane" stuff in the shop than "Peanut Butter" stuff.
She says boys are harder to shop for than girls. And she should know. The thirtysomething has two sons, Julian, 19, a Devon Prep grad now studying fashion at the Parsons School of Design in New York (think "Project Runway" on Bravo) and Travis, 16, a student on Great Valley High School's wrestling team.
She caters to both ends of the Main Line fashion spectrum: preppy and chic.
"I have a real mixture," explains Benincasa.
She selects examples of her merchandise from the racks: for boys she picks out a pair of slacks with images of black labs ("This is totally preppy," she says) and a blue cardigan sweater ("That screams preppy," she comments).
For girls, she holds up a Matilda & Co. jean skirt with pink and yellow tulle – "That's definitely chic," she states. There is also plenty of girls' clothing peppered in pink and green, a preppy color combo, she says.
There are also more classic lines such as Anavini's hand-smocked dresses. Doting grandmas take more to these old-school styles, relates Benincasa.
Asked what are the hot fashion trends for the little ones, Benincasa says dresses that have dangling fabric, such as tulle, for a little girl to twirl around in. Little girls love to twirl, she stresses. Guys not so much. For the little girl who is totally into tulle there are the pink tutus. Just reading out loud the description on her Web site of these garments is enough to make your tongue twirl: "Froo Froos are Fabby Gabby's fabulously fluffy and magical handmade tutus!"
There is also a demand for clothing made from organic materials. So the shop owner carries a line of clothing for babies from newborns up to 24 months old made from such materials as bamboo fibers, pima cotton and milk fibers.
Other popular items in her shop include baseball caps with shore-themed logos such as crabs and lobsters. Main Line folks love the beach, of course, so she also sells sweaters touting the names of such favorite shore spots as "Avalon."
Her boutique also includes accessories, toys and products for moms on the go. For instance, there are a stuffed bear dressed as a buccaneer, environmentally sensitive diaper bags, disposable potties, stylish cloth covers for breast-feeding, a large plastic ball for pregnant moms to stretch out with ("It's a lot softer than an exercise ball," she says) and spray fragrances for infants – but only for on the clothing, she cautions.
But perhaps the most unusual item is the time-out mat. The circular cloth mats come in pink (for girls) and blue (for boys) and with instructions. "Unfortunately, the boys are sold out," she explains.
Her pine-floor boutique is decorated in soft pastels. A collection of Benincasa's own vintage children's books such as "Peter Rabbit" and "Pinocchio" greet customers on shelves. "They're just so sweet," she coos about the tattered books.
But it doesn’t take long to realize that Benincasa's bubbly personality is the boutique's most welcoming charm. A fun-loving spirit with the gift of gab, she is as giddy as a schoolgirl twirling around in a yellow-and-pink tulle jean skirt on the playground.
"I'm a people person," she admits.
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