It all began in 1880 when Johann Popken founded the Popken Textile Company in the town of Hameln on the banks of the Weser River in northern Germany. The family business operated until 1960 when Johann's son Karl Friedrich Popken was forced to lease out the company on a long-term basis due to ill health.

Eight years later, Karl's son Friedrich and his wife Ursula (Ulla), young parents of a baby daughter, continued the family's tradition in textiles by opening a shop in Oldenburg called "Mami and Baby," specializing in maternity and baby wear.

By 1978, the business had blossomed into what would become a nationwide chain of retail maternity shops. From there, the business expanded into the mail order market.

One day, Friedrich observed an employee packing more than 15 maternity items for a single mail order customer and wondered why a pregnant woman would order so many items. The answer was unexpected.

The cust ... Read more »