Chicago Booth Magazine Top Picks from a Kids' Retail Expert
The cofounder of State of Kid shares the food, fashion, and books that inspire her.
- By
- January 29, 2021
- Entrepreneurship
In 2019 Cheryl Lau Gonzalez, ’12, and her cofounder opened State of Kid, a children’s boutique and class space in one. Gonzalez stocks Miami-based State of Kid with brands ranging from Nununu to Veja—and offers classes that teach kids dance, cooking, music, STEM, and more. Here’s what keeps Gonzalez inspired at home and at work.
Food
One of my favorite culinary memories was actually when I was at Booth and I had dinner at Alinea. It was one of the most spectacular meals of my life—I still think about that dessert! In terms of cuisine, if I had to eat something for the rest of my life, I love Vietnamese, Thai, and Japanese food.
Fashion
When I lived in New York in my 20s, I shopped constantly—everything from trendy, fast-fashion pieces to designer goods. But when I moved to Switzerland in my early 30s, I learned to pare down my wardrobe and became much more thoughtful about my choices. I have come to value fewer, high-quality pieces, rather than buying a lot of “stuff.” I appreciate clean lines and good fit for myself and for my children. I want it to be stylish and elevated but still functional and comfortable.
Similarly, for the kids, I want nicer things that won’t fall apart but don’t cost $300. From a retail perspective, that’s what we aimed to offer at State of Kid. A well-curated assortment of quality products that will last a long time at an attainable price point.
"I want it to be stylish and elevated but still functional and comfortable."
— Cheryl Lau Gonzalez, ’12
Products
I’ve always been notorious among my friends for how many pairs of jeans I own. I am a sucker for a well-fitting pair, and have more than I care to admit in my closet. I’m currently loving RE/DONE and their vintage-y vibe. For now, I’m also collecting masks like everyone else! My business partner and I recently started a new mask line, Row + Lee, which combines function and fashion.
Books
If I had to pick one book, it would be Shantaram (2003) by Gregory David Roberts. It’s an epic semiautobiographical book about a man’s journey, primarily set in India, and it goes through his life and his evolution as a person. It spans many years of his life, and his travels and his growth over time really resonated with me.
Music
I like different genres for different activities. If I’m working, I listen to Philip Glass or Beethoven. If I’m around the house, you’ll generally find me listening to kids’ music—silly songs that my kids request on Alexa. I’ve also been listening to a lot of Sara Bareilles recently.
Art
My good friend in New York has a gallery on the Lower East Side, and that introduced me to artist Amanda Valdez. We renovated our house a year ago, and after wanting to acquire one of her pieces for years, we finally splurged. She’s very abstract and her work uses mixed media—she’ll have a canvas that includes oil paint, embroidery, fabric, or other materials. Her work speaks to me very much. It’s in the living room now, and I look at it every day, and it makes me very happy. I also like Kristi Kohut: she makes abstract and colorful larger-scale works. I never thought growing up that I’d gravitate this much to modern, abstract art, but that’s what I’ve come to love.
Travel
While studying abroad in Hong Kong, I visited countries all over Asia. I’m Chinese, but there was something about Vietnam I really loved: the people, the food, and the culture were really amazing. I have a lot of places on my bucket list: countries in Central America, South America, and more. I’ve never been to Mexico City, and that’ll be one of my first stops when we are able to travel again.