About us

The story behind Optew

Meet Alex Optew

What started as a small idea during college has grown into a brand built around joyful products, honest service and families across the United Kingdom.

Alex Optew working on the first ideas for Optew while studying at college
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It started during college

Hey, I’m Alex—the one who started Optew.

If you’d asked me a few years back, while I was half-dreaming and half-dozing in college classes, if I’d end up building my own brand, I probably would’ve laughed. None of this felt real back then.

Optew came from a pretty simple idea. I’ve always loved finding little things that make everyday life brighter—especially for kids and families.

Alex Optew preparing customer orders in the growing Optew workspace
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Building something families could trust

I wanted to build a shop where parents could actually find smart, well-chosen toys and clothes that their kids would love, with no weird trade-offs on quality, style or cost.

In the beginning, it was just me, scribbling sketches between lectures, learning about products at midnight and figuring out what makes people trust a store.

I made a ton of mistakes, and there were definitely days where it felt impossible. I kept going anyway because I couldn’t let go of what Optew might become.

Founder Alex Optew standing proudly inside the growing Optew kids store
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Proud of how far we’ve come

Now, what really makes me proud isn’t just having a shop. It’s seeing Optew grow—seeing every order come in, every thank-you note and every family that keeps coming back.

We’re still learning and still pushing ourselves to do better every day. Honestly, that drive is never going away.

At Optew, we want shopping for your kids’ toys and clothes to be easy, happy and straightforward. We only offer stuff we’d pick for our own families, and we stand behind the service as much as the products.

Thanks for supporting my little dream that started back in a college dorm. Seriously—it means everything.

And, truly, this is just the beginning.

Alex Optew Founder of Optew