Some Oklahoma businesses make every day Mother’s Day

Patti Tepper-Rasmussen realized her toy store was too small when she once heard a shopper hollering for help.

The shopper, a mother pushing a stroller, had gotten boxed in while trying to navigate the tiny aisles of the Learning Tree toy store. Tepper-Rasmussen helped her find a way to push the baby in the stroller out.

When the store next to the Learning Tree in the Wilshire Village shopping center was vacated, Tepper-Rasmussen took the opportunity to expand the size of the store.

The Learning Tree recently finished the remodel, which doubled the floor space to 2,800-square-feet and allows plenty of room for strollers.

"Everyone is so appreciative,” she said. "They walk in and can breathe.”

The Learning Tree is one of many Oklahoma City area businesses that keep moms in mind. Whether moms make up the majority of their business or not, some retailers offer special amenities such as up-front parking for expectant moms or top-of-the-line play areas so little ones are entertained during a visit.

Retail experts generally agree women control the majority of purchases in their homes.

According to the book "Women Want More,” published in 2009, women control $12 trillion of the overall $18.4 trillion in global consumer spending, and their share is increasing. Authors Michael Silverstein and Kate Sayre, partners at The

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