Monkey Bars

To sum up our visit in one word: bizarre. Dimly lit, not much merchandise, and worst of all the staff. Other than barking «hello» at my husband and I, the shop clerk did not acknowledge us for the rest of our visit, presumably because she was more interested in singing along to the radio. Very rude and honestly so cringe-​worthy that we hightailed it out of there after about 5 minutes. We won’t be back.

Love Heather and her store! Visited for the first time while searching for a store that carried Beco Baby and Lillebaby baby carriers, so we could do a side by side comparison. Heather carries the Beco Gemini, Soleil, and Toddler and the Lillebaby complete. She was super helpful and assisted my husband and I in trying them on and getting a good fit. She also carries Zutano for those of you hunting for their awesome, no kick booties. And many other great items.

Could not be more pleased with my experience here. Heather is a gem. She went above and beyond to make sure everything was exactly right when I purchased my carrier. Sure, the selection is small, but I have always been able to find something cute and in season. Heather has great taste and superb customer service. I’ll be back.

Heather carries the most beautiful children’s clothes, as well as great gifts for baby showers and birthdays. This is my go-​to spot for my nieces, and I used to shop here all the time when my son was younger. Monkey Bars is My favorite children’s clothing store. The store owner Heather is an awesome person– make sure to say hi when you stop in!

I believe that on my last visit to Monkey Bars I had some thoughts about clothes for kids that were somewhat different than my opinions now. As a Grandparent of two children I had not realized yet what new ideas and trends had taken place in the new approach to shopping for children. Since then I have come to realize that Monkey Bars is one of the premier children’s clothing stores in not just Alameda, but the East Bay. Heather as done a remarkable job in bringing children’s fashion and accessories for mothers, fathers and grandparents with her level of expertise. If you are in Alameda and on Park St and you are looking for a new and fresh approach to children’s clothes stop at Monkey Bars you will not be disappointed !!

I hate that I’m giving Monkey Bars two stars after once being the retailer of choice for all my very young nieces and nephews. Unfortunately the last 3 times I’ve been able to go into this store the selection has been next to nothing. The clothing has been limited to 3 – 4 styles of tops and bottoms per sex (if even that), limited to no blanket selection and what happened to their orbit strollers?
Today I went by at 11:45 am and although their hours stated 11am Mon-​Fri, the store was dark and closed. The good thing? I peeked inside and didn’t see much selection so I didn’t miss out on much.
I really want them to bring back their selection. I would love to give them my business.

«Hey, don’t bother getting off the couch or the phone on my account.» What HORRIBLE service. No wonder the place is always empty. I suggest buying overpriced baby stuff elsewhere.

Just stumbled in here one day and discovered that Heather is the coolest. Not only that but she’s a wealth of local parenthood information. Great place for gifts, advice and a good laugh.

I just cant say enough about Monkey Bars. The staff terrific and the wide array of products that they sell, just can’t be beat.
There are now a few stores on island that sell baby goodies, but this is the only one I’ll shop at!

Ah-​mazing store! I went in today because Monkey Bars was the only store I could find that actually had a Beco Soleil baby carrier in store for me to look at. We are looking down the barrel at kid #2, and having had a Beco Gemini with #1 I wanted to check it out. I am the type of Mama that did exhaustive research on all the baby products I purchased. Even with all the research you always end up with a ton of useless items, i.e. TONS of too-​small useless receiving blankets, bibs that are cheap and disintegrate on the first wash, techy-​gadgets that seem cool, but are completely worthless, and 3 months into having baby, you know your go-​to items, and which ones to just donate. With #2 I know what I want, which brands, etc. I also learned that spending a bit more at the start on a few quality items that will last and have more than one function is the way to go. Upon walking into Monkey Bars and being warmly greeted, I looked around and found that every, and I do mean EVERY baby item and brand that I loved so much with my first was in this store! I wish I could have found Monkey bars 3 years ago and just not bothered with all the other nonsense! Yes, Aiden+Anais blankets, bibs, etc are pricier than Gerber or other brands, but trust me, it’s money well spent! Everything in the store is absolutely the best you can buy for your baby, hands down. And the nice thing is, they have done all the research for you! They don’t offer a hundred different brands of bottles, baby carriers, strollers, etc. Just one or two of the BEST. I found so many brands that I already own and love, that I would not hesitate to buy an unfamiliar brand, because I trust that they know quality items when they come across them. I will be coming here for all the things I need for #2, trusted brands, friendly and warm environment, knowledgeable staff, and most importantly everything is green and SAFE for baby… what could be better? And I love that I can support a local store, but if you aren’t local, they offer online ordering and shipping! Go to Monkey Bars and you won’t be sorry! Oh and the Beco Soleil rocks… in case you were wondering, lol. And street parking can be tough to find, but there is a public metered parking lot behind the store. Be warned though, it’s SUPER narrow and crammed with spaces.

We came to Monkey Bars to look for a baby carrier for our new baby. Monkey Bars was listed as a store that carried the specific baby carrier we were looking for. The owner, Heather, is great! She had what we were looking for and gave us a demonstration on how to use it. She was really helpful and I could tell that she enjoys her business.
At Monkey Bars, there is a room in the back for nursing. I have never seen a set up like that in a baby store before, so kudos to Heather for making her store baby-​friendly.
The only reason why I’m not giving 5 stars is because items are a bit pricey.

I admit, I was lured in by their «Nurse Here» sign in the window and was pleased to find that they had a quiet space in the back of the store with comfy chairs where I could breastfeed my fussy daughter.
The store does not have a huge selection, but the items they do have seem very well curated. The women who worked there (possibly the owner) was friendly and knowledgable. We left in a much better mood than when we entered!

Love this place! Heather is always super helpful, as are the rest of the staff. I love that when I come in here I always know that anything I buy will be good quality and safe for my little one. I also feel good knowing that it’s a certified green business.
I have found several great gifts here as well; super cute clothes and fun toys. It’s nice when you have no idea what to get — the staff can help you find something age appropriate. They also do free gift wrapping, so it’s great for a last minute stop before a party (yes, I have done this more than once!).
They even have a new little private nursing nook if you are out on Park street and need to feed your little one which is so helpful!!! Love that they support nursing!

I love Monkey Bars!
Everything in this store feels like it was hand picked for me. The cutest clothes and baby gear and all with a green conscience. Heather, the owner, is VERY educated on the products that she carries and is also open about why she doesn’t carry other products that other stores may carry. Whether it is because they are toxic or dangerous, Heather doesn’t carry anything in her store that is not aligned with her mission to provide healthy, eco, sustainable and local products.
I love that I can walk into Monkey Bars and trust that everything in there has already been vetted and researched and I don’t even have to question whether it is something I should let my kids put in their mouths or play with or use. There is something HUGE to be said for a store where you know the owners concern for the health and safety of your kids outweighs their concern to make profits. I’ve asked them to carry certain items only to have Heather educate me on why she will not carry that product. I end up learning why I shouldn’t be using it either.
Monkey Bars also carries LifeFactory Bottles, which are AWESOME glass bottles that have a large mouth for easy cleaning and a great rubber barrier on the outside to keep them from breaking. I have dropped these bottles so many times and they have never broken. They are awesome. We own about 10 of them and our whole family uses them.
Thank you Monkey Bars for doing your part to educated and support healthy and green conscious Alameda families! We love you!
Kate McCaffrey

Great store for stuff for babies and kids. High end here. Best part is that they carry the Orbit Baby stroller. Not everyone carries this cool stroller.
Street parking getting tougher every day. There’s a municipal garage a couple of blocks away on Oak between Santa Clara and Lincoln.

I LOVE THIS STORE! Heather is awesome and she stocks tons of eco-​friendly baby and toddler gear. Never fails when I walk in I find something new that I just have to have. I first stopped by because they are an authorized Orbit Baby dealer (best stroller ever) and then discovered all the other wonderful things she carries. They are very informative and friendly and the store has such a great vibe.
Thanks to Heather I am now a Life Factory convert and just today when I am in desperate need for MAM x cut nipples I was able to inquire on the Facebook page and get an answer on stock. I love a store that helps make my shopping easier which any mom with a 4 month old can appreciate.

Really cute little shop! Great stuff for gifts… A bit out of my price range for regular purchases, but very high quality merchandise. A GREAT place for gift purchases.
I had to withhold two stars because TWICE when I’ve gone there they weren’t open when I needed them to be (and when they were supposed to be!). This happened the other day. I was running a few errands on Park St. and I had planned to hit Monkey Bars last, before returning to my car. But when I got to their shop they had a sign saying «back in 5 minutes.» Well… That would have been fine if I’d had five minutes to kill! But I’d done all my shopping and I needed to get back home to take care of my kids… Sadly, they lost my business that day.
The first time this happened was last October and it was VERY upsetting; it made things quite inconvenient for me. I was headed to a baby shower and needed a nice gift ASAP. They not only lost my business that day, but it was awhile before I shopped there again. I doubt I will ever make a special trip there, knowing that they can be a bit unreliable about being «open.» (BTW, this last time I’m referring to was a Saturday morning and the person who was supposed to open the shop was an hour late! Blah!)
I later called the owner and she was very apologetic. Apparently an unreliable employee had been doing this on more than one occasion… Ugh. However, the «back in five minutes» thing happened just the other day, so… Clearly this is not a place I can count on right now. Maybe that will change. If it does I will write an update, for sure!

I love going places that waste my time. I was given the «you’re interrupting my facebook time» treatment. So left my items on the counter, and went over to Tot Tank.
Thanks for helping me narrow down my shopping options, this will save me time in the future.

I once joked with a friend that everything in this place is so carefully sourced that you could eat it. Upon further inspection, my statement was not a joke. You could.
The boy and I come in here often when we are cruising Park St. They always seem to have just enough rotation of stuff that it is a fun little game to find the new things.
Every garment and toy that we have purchased from here has lasted well beyond its cost. The high chair we purchased has paid for itself with its ease of cleaning and infinite adjustability.
Thank You Monkey Bars for your thoughtful and careful selection of top quality high value products for the lil ones. Quality comes with a cost. That said there is nothing that is cheap here, and that said… there is nothing that is cheap here. The fact that in a pinch you can eat it all just adds to their products’ utility.
The only slight bit of shame that this store produces is due to the fact that I get all my kid’s Oaklandish stuff in Alameda. I can live with that.

Ever go into a shop and want one of everything? That’s how I feel here. Great uniques styles at decent prices! Another plus… They carry oaklandish!!!