More than 800 small businesses from across the country pitched their products during Walmart’s first-ever virtual Open Call event this month, and two local entrepreneurs recently received notice that their product was one of the 175 to receive a yes from company officials.
Co-Founders Dr. Robert C Hamilton and George Damascus started Hamilton Babies, a line of naturally-formulated skin and hair care products for children, in Santa Monica a couple of years ago, and the pair said Wednesday that the opportunity to be in Walmart is a dream come true.
Dr. Hamilton founded Pacific Ocean Pediatrics in 1996 in Santa Monica, which is how he came to meet his business partner.
“He was my children’s pediatrician and I’ve formulated skincare lines for the past few years. So, when I noticed a lack of quality and natural products on the market, I talked to Dr. Bob and we started to develop our line,” Damascus said. It’s taken a couple of years to research, test, market and make the business what it is today, but the battle will be worth it when the various shampoos, rash creams, and “Bundles of Delight” are on the shelves of Walmart’s across the country.
Hamilton added all nine of Hamilton Babies products utilize a secret formula consisting of chamomile, sage, thyme and lemon and orange peel extract, which is unique because there is certainly a hole in the plant-based skincare market for children.
Having gone viral for a four-step technique that will quiet crying infants, Dr. Bob, as he’s frequently called by peers, is no stranger to fame. But the local pediatrician said he still found himself nervous for the Open Call event, so he and Damascus enlisted the help of their children, who also serve as the inspiration for the various characters that grace the company’s bottles.
“We’re truly a family company,” Damascus said as he recounted he and Hamilton had to sit in the backyard and be coached by their young ones.
And with more grandkids on the way, the pair said they have at least three new products that are currently in the works.
“We’ll have to come up with some new characters,” Hamilton said, but there’s time for that because the Walmart investor will be reviewing his shelf space so more news is to come from them in November.
“In the meantime,” he added, “we are so happy. And this is really a great step because there’s been a lot of work behind this brand. And obviously, it’s hard, even in the retail market, to get a break so we’re very excited — and there is certainly more on the way.”
Brennon@smdp.com
