77kids by American Eagle at The Mall in Columbia back2school

Three weeks. Back to school. Enough said. {insert happy dance, face, song, etc. here}

While pencils, pens, markers, crayons, and glue are all staples to the "back to school" hoopla, a cool wardrobe is just as important.

We visited the newest 77kids by American Eagle store at The Mall in Columbia this pass Friday. Kaden and I had already spent a great deal of time browsing their cool and trendy items online. But the in-store experience included so much more.

We arrived at the mall, conveniently near the food court (we were starving). 77kids is only a few stores down from its parent store, American Eagle. It was easy to spot thanks to the rock star window display, a set of drums at the entrance, and a warehouse-styled sign greeting customers at the entrance.

The store was just opening when we arrived just after 10 am. There was plenty of staff on hand. We were immediately greeted by not one, but two friendly faces. One of them was the store manager, who took us on a tour.

She explained the store layout. 77kids carries girls, boys, toddler girls, toddler boys, and baby. The older groups are in the front, and the younger groups are in the back of the store. It was easy to distinguish where we needed to go. The floor plan was very open and there was not a lot of clutter. If you have a small child in a stroller, you would easily be able to maneuver through the aisles without bumping into a rack.

Before we started shopping for items, the store manager showed us the interactive photo booth and look finder. Take a look at the video of Kaden demonstrating how to take a picture and find a look. Listen to the awesome music 77kids plays while you shop as well.

That photo booth wasn't the only thing that kept us busy. The store has all kinds of excitement to keep your child busy while you attempt to shop...for them of course.

 A cool lounging area and a drum set for you to "rock out".

Be a good boy or girl and you'll get a prize- lollipops or a sticker.

While your parents are writing a check, you can write a message on the chalkboard by the register.

Needless to say, we lost track of time. That rarely happens when I go shopping with Kaden. He normally keeps me aware of the time with each minute that passes. We were having so much fun exploring every inch of the store. Not just the clothing, but there were other items that grabbed our attention.

Lotion, Band Aids, Hexbugs

Books and sizing assistance

Eventually, we picked out a few items for Kaden to try-on. Much to my surprise, he was very decisive about the shirts he wanted. He has already seen it online and liked the bold colors.

images courtesy of 77kids.com

Because I have so many items from the thrift store in my closet, and despise the words "retail price", it took a little getting used to the pricing in the store. A few of the items were a bit pricey for my liking, but from what I hear this is normal for quality clothing. I will say that the clothes are quality-made, so this compensates for the prices. You can call me frugal. I don't mind.

I am not a huge fan of trying clothes on in the store. I pretty much know what works for my body and what will fit. However, the stores that I shop in do not have these cool dressing rooms like 77kids. There is a peep hole on one of the dressing room doors so that a child can call their parent over to take a look. This is perfect for privacy, and a child who is shy. 

PEEP this dressing room

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" -Kaden's response to everything

Just before we headed to the register, one of the associates gave us a scratch-off and a guitar pick. Each scratch-off produced a percentage of savings off of your purchase. We earned 15% off. I was a little upset because I left my coupon home that I printed just for this visit. From now until August 28, 2011, you can print a coupon to save 50% on one regularly priced 77kids item, in-store only, at the Times Square, The Mall in Columbia, or Westfield Trumbull locations.

After we purchased our items, the manager pulls out the store's shopping bag. This wasn't just a typical plastic, easy-to-break bag. It was sturdy, durable, and had the words "long live {blank}" on the front. The blank is put in place for a child to decide what they want written on the front. Kaden decided on his alias, "KB".

77kids is not just a store, it's an experience. It's about time children have a store that maximizes their attention span and caters to their fashion wants/needs. Your child(ren) will beg you to go to this store. It's a win-win situation. 77kids is where everyone can 'Be a rock star'.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/77kids
Twitter:  @77kids 
website: www.77kids.com

Disclosure: 77kids provided us with a gift card toward our purchase. There was no monetary compensation for writing this post. The opinions and views are our own. We absolutely love this store. Kaden said, "I want to go back!"