Press "The shop is airy, bright, and child-friendly, with a train table and toys that allow kids to blow off steam."

Local students show off their back-to-school shopping style.
By sara glassman, Star Tribune
August 16, 2008

We scoured the Twin Cities to find stylish kids doing a little back-to-school shopping. They showed off what they plan to wear on the first day of classes and told us what they did on their summer vacation. If we were grading this assignment, we'd give them all an A.

Child's Play
December 2007, minneapolispicks.com

When we were young there were few choices in children's fashion. As a result we harbor frightening memories of velour jumpsuits and plaid bell-bottom pants.Fortunately today's hip Mamas and Papas have a heap more selection when it comes to clothing their fashion-forward youngsters, thanks to cool boutiques like SIJI Kids.

Nestled neatly on St. Paul's Grand Avenue, SIJI Kids offers the discerning shopper a bevy of clothing options, ranging from of-the-moment sweaters and jeans to eco-friendly baby attire.We fell in love with the rock-star styling of Wes and Willy's guitar-emblazoned button-ups, and the ultra-hip hats by Goorin, both perfect for the wild child in your life.

If that doesn't lure you into this locally owned hotspot, then the on-site photography studio will. You can dress your littlest hipsters in the latest and greatest, and then have them strike a pose for owner/photographer Kyle Johnson. We're confident that his unique photographic style, coupled with any of the store's stellar clothing options, will capture your heart and your little one's spirit.

JULY 2007
By Katie Derdoski

Siji Kids is a two-in-one chic boutique and photography studio for children. Upstairs, Macy Lee-Johnson runs the shop filled with sweet contemporary clothes for toddler and infant boys and girls. Downstairs, at Siji Studios, Lee-Johnson’s photographer husband, Kyle Johnson, snaps stellar children’s shots. (FYI: “Siji” is pronounced suh-jee, and means “four seasons” in Chinese.)

The couple—who have two young boys of their own—decided to open the boutique after failing to find stylish children’s clothing at affordable prices. The threads are cool and age-appropriate—think modern-classic with whimsical finishes. Find floral dresses and embroidered cardigans for girls by Mimi + Maggie, colorful separates by Nannette, graphic tees for the little boys by Wes & Willy, and simple separates from Esprit and American Apparel. Siji also carries lined hoodies and wrap tops by ecofriendly line Baby Soy. There is also Tea, a line of clothes that take inspiration from different cultures. Most everything in the store looks like adult counterparts found at upscale boutiques, but with a sticker price that won’t shock shoppers.

The Johnsons’ dedication to the stroller set goes beyond cute clothing and pretty pictures. The shop is airy, bright, and child-friendly, with a train table and toys that allow kids to blow off steam. Plus, the Johnsons’ take a local approach to business. All models are local children, and each month, Siji donates 10 percent of its profits to a local school.

Siji plans to expand lines up to size eight and will add more accessories, such as paperboy hats and Harry Potteresque blazers. Which means by fall, Siji can line any kid’s closet for back-to-preschool (or back-to-crib).

What’s to Love:

* Priceless photos in casual poses—kids cast in their most natural light.

* Layettes by Tea feature double-breasted jackets and pants in creamy colors and soft fabrics—Tiny Tea is perfect for that newborn stage.

* Macy Lee-Johnson has joined forces with other St. Paul independent retailers to form the St. Paul Girl Shop Co-op, which promotes local female independent retailers, including Karma, Fringe, Picky Girl, Stephanie’s, The Vagabond, Danish Bohemia, and Lizzé.

Minneapolis, St. Paul Magazine 2007

Macy Lee and Kyle Johnson, frustrated trying to find stylish clothing for their two small boys, decided to open up their own boutique. Siji carries clothing for boys and girls, newborn through 4T. Find classics by American Apparel, funky girls clothing by Mimi & Maggie, European-style boys threads by Wes & Willy, and organic clothing by Baby Soy. Plus, Kyle Johnson's professional children's photo studio is downstairs.

Shopping Spotlight - Week of March 14, 2007

When it comes to dressing a 2-year-old, there's a fine line between cool and trying too hard. The new Siji Kids, located at the busy corner of Snelling and Jefferson avenues in St. Paul's Highland Park/Mac Groveland area strikes the right balance for infants and toddlers with graphic t-shirts and floral dresses that let modern babes be babes...while looking irresistibly sharp. The store is worth a visit even for west-siders who have other hip baby boutiques in their neighborhoods. Siji Kids offers fresh lines you won't find elsewhere in town. Bring the little ones along to play at the train table, then dress them up in their new threads. Siji Studios, specializing in children's photography, is located right downstairs.

Allison Kaplan, St. Paul Pioneer Press 2007

When you make a living taking portraits of kids, it's only natural to only wonder if you could dress them better.

So, the St. Paul's SIJI Studios to a new location and broadened its scope to incorporate SIJI Kids clothing boutique. The airy shop features chic brands for infants and toddelers that you won't find elsewhere in town. "There wasn't anything like this in St. Paul," says professional photographer Kyle Johnson, who owns the shop and studio with his wife, Macy Lee-Johnson.

SIJI (which means four seasons in Chinese) sells graphic shirts and cargos for boys from Wes and Willy. For girls, lines like Mimi and Maggie, and Nannette offer mini versions of what's in fashion for mommies: baby-doll dresses, floral print tops, sweaters and hoodies embroidered with flower. Prices range from $10 to $65, and every month, SIJI Kids donates 10% of its profits to an area school.

If that's not enough to appeal to area parents: the shop has a spacious play area with a train table and toys. The Johnsons, parents of boys ages four and eight, know a thing or two about what it's like to shop with tots.