Copy of About us

A little about me…

Let me start with saying that I am delighted if you’ve come to read this page to learn who’s behind this relatable baby boutique! I hope what I share makes you chuckle and want to read to the bottom.

My name is Melissa Penninga (nee Hendriks)… I add my maiden name because I get my ‘uber entrepreneurial spirit’ from my father and he got it from his! I call myself a ‘blessed wifey’ to my hubs, Trevor because I truly feel that I won the lottery. He too, is a true entrepreneur starting his own successful construction company when he was only twenty-one! So, I guess you could say business is in my blood… and so is being my own boss!

Maybe that’s why I am a natural redhead and a passionate individual… and just a teeny bit of a perfectionist! Actually, my pic should be next to the word in the dictionary! I hate crumbs. I still count with my fingers. My favourite season is winter. I do not like brussel sprouts no matter how much I cover them with apple sauce! My lip balm goes everywhere I go. I adore and love my family and I believe that children are a supreme gift from God!

Just a little about us…

It’s truly hard to believe that a little over two years ago it was just us occupying our sweet, mostly renovated bungalow in the small town of Grimsby, Ontario. Having mochas together with uninterrupted conversations followed by dinner with no particular timeframe was a frequent scenario or date for us! Coming and going and making plans was easy. Knowing we wanted as many children as God would see fit to provide, you can imagine how excited we were to find out we were pregnant. Having already been married for three years people were beginning to wonder…

When our daughter Michaela (aka “Mike”) was born on a cold winter’s night it was as if heaven came to earth and delivered her into our arms! How blessed and beautiful… and bewildered and baffled I felt all at the same time. After all, babies don’t come with an instruction manual or a business plan.

As a new mom, I quickly realized I wasn’t the boss anymore! Nor was my husband! My showers were shorter, our mochas were meagre, and our comings and goings… well I just wasn’t as eager! Needless to say, I was entering Mommy Boot camp and it was plain scary! I was quickly learning that wanting everything to be perfect was so non-perfect for my family. As I scouted for all my baby ‘needs’ I was overwhelmed with making decisions about what to buy. Trying to find practical products available keeping in mind safety, quality, price and non-toxic materials was an enormous task.

Now it’s about YOU…

That’s where Mike & JoJo comes in… a place to find all things for new beginnings and a growing family. Transitioning into parenthood is hard enough so we have sourced practical products that you can trust to be safe for baby, top brand quality, affordable prices and whenever possible, made in Canada.

Now that you have read to the bottom of our story about us, we hope that you get a sense that Mike & JoJo is relatable to your family needs. We don’t carry every gismo and gadget under the sun… only if it’s practical for you. We know that you want the best for your family…we hope you will find it here at Mike & JoJo Baby Boutique!*

*Watch for emails about our monthly incentives, flash sales or register with us to receive more savings. Inquire about becoming a Mike & JoJo Brand Rep for amazing discounts and commission opportunities.