Kayla Perez can hardly believe it’s September. At her children’s thrift store, this month marks the pivot from spring and summer to fall and winter.
“I have boxes and boxes in my storeroom of winter stuff that I’ve been collecting the last six months,” the business owner told the Sun. “Jackets and raincoats and boots and all things like that.”
Birthday bash
Celebrate the third anniversary of Kayla’s Kidz on Sept. 11 and 12. Stop by for face painting, treats, photo opportunities, and a buy two, get one free deal on clothes and shoes. The thrift shop is located at 65-B W. Highway 246 in Buellton. Visit Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Catch up on the latest @kaylaskidzsyv on Instagram.
She’s received so many items lately that she had to pause donations, a somewhat frequent occurrence at Kayla’s Kidz in Buellton. It’s one sign of the store’s growth since moving to a larger location in 2024, and now Perez is excited to celebrate the third birthday of her business with a special event on Sept. 11 and 12.
Even before setting up for fall, Perez brought out a Halloween rack where Star Wars and Disney costumes hang next to princess and fairy dresses. There are loads more in the storeroom waiting to be displayed.
“I do a lot of Halloween costumes, which are great,” Perez said. “Their kids wear it one year, and then they don’t have use for it again.”
Shoppers will find clothes in preemie and newborn sizes all the way up to size 18 for teenagers at Kayla’s Kidz. Perez washes and irons all the clothing before organizing it on the floor. Most articles are priced between $3 and $6. So are shoes.
Additionally, the store is filled with toys, bicycles, books, baby items, and toddler entertainment. Inventory is constantly changing. When Perez really needs to get items off her shelves, she’ll put them on the new $1 rack, where there are “lots of good deals,” or in the free bin. Everything else is donated to churches roughly every six weeks.
“We have a food giveaway down here weekly at one of the local churches, and so they’ll take bags of my things that are left over and put them out. From what they tell me, there’s nothing left,” Perez said. “It just goes. So, one way or another, anything that comes into my store gets recycled and reused.”
Perez notices a lot of moms and grandparents browsing in her store. The owner enjoys interacting with everyone who walks in.
“Grandparents come in a lot because they like to have their own set of things at their place,” Perez explained. “They come in and buy their own set of clothes because a lot of times, [parents] take everything with them when they go back home. … It’s a pretty affordable way for grandparents to have their own set of things.”
Out-of-town thrifters are also frequent customers. Solvang draws a crowd, and lots of families stay at the nearby RV park in Buellton.
Perez believes one of the reasons the store does so well is because of how she curates the visitors’ experience. Rather than facing an overwhelming volume of items, she said, customers notice and compliment her organized racks. They aren’t stacked to the brim because Perez knows shoppers typically like space to flip through each item.
Sections are arranged by size and gender. While there are basics to be found (like the classic white baby onesie), Perez is proud to sell cute, eye-catching pieces, too.
“It really makes a lot of people happy when they come in. It’s not your average thrift store where you’ve got to go through like 100 items to find one good thing. It’s very meticulously curated,” Perez said.
Another positive is reducing waste in the community. Perez said everybody has more than they need, but her store is a good place to turn things over that might otherwise end up in the landfill.
“I think the younger generation really likes to feel good about reusing and gently reusing things and repurposing and recycling,” Perez said. “I think people feel good about both donating and shopping in my store.”
Highlight
• On Sept. 24, the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce is hosting an event for young professionals. Find opportunities to meet potential mentors, new business partners, and other motivated minds at Trattoria Uliveto, 285 S. Broadway, in Orcutt from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided. Register online by visiting santamaria.com, or email Efrain Salazar-Colores, efrain@santamaria.com, for more information.
Reach Staff Writer Madison White at mwhite@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in September 3 – September 10, 2026.
