Rosa Mendoza, the boys' mother and owner of the business, acknowledges that the only thing "twin" about her shop is that it's named after her toddler duo. The racks of brightly colored clothes, fluffy blankets and stuffed animals are geared toward all children up to age 10, she says—twin or not.

The former Menlo Park preschool teacher bought the boutique in August 2004. Throughout her pregnancy she pondered upon switching to a career that would allow her to spend more time with her babies.

Looking for retail businesses online, she came across the Willow Glen children's boutique previously known as Freckles that was for sale. The space, on Lincoln Avenue, adorned with huge purple polka dots on the walls and matching oversize purple globe lights, immediately caught her fancy.

"We love it," Mendoza says. "We have room for the babies, we have everything in here. That's why we picked this business, because we can watch the babies."

And with "we" Mendoza means numerous family members who pitch in to help out in the store or entertain the twins. Because there is always someone there to watch the boys, the 30-year-old says it never feels overwhelming to have the twins around while she works.

Cousin Karina Lopez, 16, often helps out on afternoons and Mendoza's two older sons, 13-year-old Alfredo and 10-year-old Gustavo, are there mostly in the weekends. And husband Alfredo, a construction worker currently in the off-season, often takes the children for a stroll through downtown. Being able to spend time with his children is what he likes best about their new business, Alfredo says.

While things are running smoothly now, the beginning wasn't easy, Mendoza says. She started out with not enough items in stock, which made for a rough holiday season. But she's on track for the spring season, the business owner says, proudly showing off the sea of polka dots, ruffles, buttons and flowers on clothes in her store.

To pick out the latest items for her boutique, Mendoza regularly visits show rooms in San Francisco, where she chooses from mostly European children's clothing lines that catch her eye. But she admits there's always a little anxiety as to whether her selection will match her customers' tastes.

Julie Turner is a Willow Glen resident who appreciates the fact that the boutique is within walking distance from her house.

"It's nice to pick up something that's different," says the mother of two young children, referring to the fact that the high-end items in the boutique are not necessarily something one would find in a large department store or chain.

With prices between $30 to $70 for a children's outfit, Mendoza acknowledges that most of her customers tend to shop here for special occasions, such as baby showers.

Currently her soft leather baby moccasins ($28) and silk diaper bags ($155) are among her best-selling shower gifts, she says.

For the future, Mendoza is planning to further expand on her repertoire of toys, such as dress-up bears and hand puppets. And she's looking into acquiring a few gift items specifically for twins.

After all, she says, "I get a lot of people looking for twin outfits."

Twins Children's Boutique is located at 1115 Lincoln Ave. It is open Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information call 408.885.9585.