Lexington is experiencing a baby boom of sorts. Stores for two baby merchandise chains are under construction to join existing stores, and Lexington shoppers say they welcome the new additions and are eager for even more stores.

A Babies R Us has been added inside the Toys R Us at 3220 Nicholasville Road, and baby-gear mega-store buybuy Baby is under construction at Hamburg Pavilion, already home to one Babies R Us. Mothers in search of baby products are happy to share their income with the new stores, but there also is a market for resale stores in the area.

Buybuy Baby, opening in the fall, will be the first store in Kentucky for the chain, which sells a wide range of baby items including furniture and feeding products. The company is confident in Lexington's need for a 33,000-square-foot store.

At Toys R Us, spokeswoman Linda DeNotaris said the company has spent the past four years remodeling existing stores to include Babies R Us to simplify parents' shopping. DeNotaris said when people shop for baby items, convenience is crucial.

"This store format provides an exceptional shopping convenience for time-strapped parents, who are shopping for children of various ages," DeNotaris said.

Baby supply stores, unlike toy stores, are not affected by seasonal demands, DeNotaris said, because diapers, wipes and formula are needed year-round.

Despite the surge in corporate competition, Donna Spoerl, co-owner of A Baby's Room and Kid's Too, said she doesn't feel threatened. Spoerl said that even in a tough economy, it helps to be a family business.

Spoerl and her husband have owned the store at 2520 Nicholasville Road since the early 1990s. She said the baby-product market is as lucrative now as it was then.

"I think those big-box stores just go after each other," she said. "The specialty stores still cater to local needs ... We can pick and choose our items to sell and determine what is best quality and most needed."

Melissa Turner, a mother of three, divides her shopping between consignment sales and corporate stores. Turner said that having options is the most important thing.

"I think there is a need for better products," she said. "Variety is important, and it's hard to find a good variety at just one store. It's easier to find what you need and save money when there are more stores."

Brenda Porter, a mother of four, drives two hours from Paintsville to Lexington when she shops for her young children. Porter said it is nice to have a variety of stores, but sometimes it is all about the bang for your buck.

Porter was shopping at Once Upon a Child, a baby and children's resale shop at 2220 Nicholasville Road.

"I love new, but if I can get it used, I'm going to," she said.

Once Upon a Child division manager Heather Powell said that in a tight economy, resale stores will do well because there are plenty of shoppers in Lexington to support resale shops and big-box stores.

Powell said recycling is such a cultural trend right now that buying used items is popular with many families.

"We don't always have something specific. It is more of a, do you want something particular or do you want a deal?" she said. "There is definitely a market for both styles in Lexington. It's a big city but family oriented."

Favoring the other style is Tanya Cook, who prefers chain stores for their new products and their convenience. Cook said she shops mostly at Babies R Us or Target for her 3-year-old son.

"We go to new stores mostly because at consignment shops, you have to take time to dig to find what you want. It's a convenience thing," she said.

One thing that chain stores, including the soon-to-open buybuy Baby and Babies R Us might lack is a personal touch, said Cerise Bouchard, owner of Lexington's Mother Nurture baby store at 2891 Richmond Road. Bouchard said chain stores can provide an overwhelming number of products but can't provide personal assistance beyond check-out.

"There is so much stuff at big stores that people think they need more stuff. And the staff is not as knowledgeable," Bouchard said. "The staff at those stores can tell you which is the best-selling brand, but we sell products that we have tried and can show you how to use them."