How MyBambino Was Conceived

At age 22, fresh out of college, Michele Stevens created My Bambino and opened a retail store in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Michele's wish was to merge her two passions: art and living at the beach. Having attended The Art Institute of Philadelphia and The American College of Art in London, England, creativity came easy. The store opened in the spring of 1992 with a handful of products that could be hand painted and personalized. The first day's sales were a meager $52.

The following fall, a hand-drawn, one-color catalog was produced at the request of tourist customers who wanted to order gifts once they returned home. Looking back at that catalog it is surprising to see how little prices have changed. Most of today’s prices are within a dollar of their originals!

Word began to spread, a full color catalog was produced, today’s best selling furniture pieces and piggy banks were added and the mail order business took off. That's not all that grew! In 1997, Michele met a fellow retailer and her future husband and business partner, Don Keen. An experienced entrepreneur and importer, Don had many ideas that would help MyBambino expand its reach.

In 1998, a website was launched, and the customer base went international. The business thrived and so did the family. In 2001, the Keen's delivered a son and they moved the Internet business to a separate fulfillment center. In 2005, a daughter was born, and the decision to close the retail store and focus solely on the mail order business was made.

As a working mother of two, Michele's days can quickly be consumed with things other than business. That's why she is grateful to work alongside a team of dedicated, talented artists and friendly, helpful customer-service representatives. With the assistance of such fabulous ladies, Michele's vision and creativity can continue on, allowing her to give her best to her family and My Bambino.

By providing unique items of superior quality, MyBambino has found a place as the preferred website for personalized baby gifts, furniture to decorate the nursery and a place to find children’s gifts with countless customers. Wholesale and corporate accounts, celebrity clients and our prized “Mommy” buyers trust My Bambino repeatedly to provide a gift that will be cherished. My Bambino would love to add you as their newest customer! With over 300 products and more than 95 designs, shopping with My Bambino allows you to find a gift that truly impresses the child (and parents!) who receive your thoughtful gesture.

Contact us today if you have any questions about our personalized baby gifts or other cherished family gift-giving ideas!