Building Community and Commerce: How Baby’s on Broadway and Deerwood Bank Grow Together

Nestled in the historic downtown areas of Little Falls and St. Cloud, Minnesota, Baby’s on Broadway offers a unique shopping experience for parents and grandparents. More than just a retail store, Baby’s on Broadway enriches the shopping experience by sharing stories and experiences that resonate with milestones like sleepless nights and first steps.

Beyond products for infants and children, Baby’s on Broadway’s product offerings also extend into the medical equipment sector, significantly enhancing the lives of the special needs and elderly populations across the nation.

Adelle Starin started Baby’s on Broadway over a decade ago, aiming to introduce innovative products to Central Minnesota. Five years into the business, Adelle was working with a national bank because no local banks would talk with her due to the perceived risks associated with new retail ventures.

“Deerwood Bank was the only bank who would hear my dream and give me a chance.”

About five years ago, Adelle was encouraged by many of her friends and other business owners to check out Deerwood Bank.

“I wanted somewhere I could call and talk to someone or get my questions answered right away. At my national bank, it was very transactional, and I didn’t have a relationship with anyone there. They weren’t friendly and they didn’t try to earn or learn about my business,” Adelle explains.

As Baby’s on Broadway grew, they encountered financial strains. Deerwood Bank stepped in to facilitate this growth and optimize cash flow. “We have a high amount of receivables because of the way medical equipment goes through insurance,” Adelle shares. “Deerwood was able to look at our business and really understand why and see the bigger picture. They were the only one that did that in the early days.”

Today, Adelle collaborates closely with Deerwood Bank to enhance cash flow management through improved workflows and automation. “Our Deerwood Bank team has helped us use cash flow for updating processes and systems internally,” she notes. “During our high-growth periods, Deerwood actually helped us restructure our working capital and set it up so it better serves our business.”

As a fast-growing business with the ever-changing needs of retail, Adelle knows she can rely on her Deerwood Bank team to always come to her with products and solutions that will help her serve her customers better.

“We’re currently working on credit card processing and management across all aspects of our business. Deerwood’s team has been great at working with our developers to figure out how we can directly plug this into our business banking with Deerwood. Having them work directly with the developers has been a real time saver for me,” Adelle says.

“With the success we’ve had, I have banks calling me every week.”

With a successful national presence in multiple industries, Adelle regularly receives calls from other banks. However, her loyalty lies with Deerwood Bank, appreciating their local, supportive presence. “I love working with Deerwood Bank and having a local team who not only serves us so well, but who I see shopping in our store and supporting our business that way as well.”