Your NYC Neighbor – is a way of introducing New Yorkers to a rich community of savvy parents and business owners. New York is a diverse City bustling with all kinds of families and personalities. We also love to grab tips and recommendations from moms and dads in certain neighborhoods and throughout the 5 Boroughs, and especially people who have created a product, service or site that helps new parents. Meet Effie Sakellis and Sierra Ovadia from CityStork.

Tell us a bit about yourself?

CityStork was founded by two NYC new moms, Sierra Ovadia and Effie Sakellis in 2014.

Sierra Ovadia was born in East Hampton, NY where she lived until she went off to college in NYC. She studied Psychology and Sociology at Hunter College and worked in the start up tech world for a bit before beginning her biggest career yet as mother and eventually co-founder of CityStork. She recently moved from Manhattan to Brooklyn where she lives with her husband and two sons.

Effie was born on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and moved to Brooklyn as a child with her parents and older sister. She later returned to the city to attend NYU for her undergraduate degree, followed by Columbia University for her master’s degree in speech language pathology. She returned to her upper west side roots during graduate school and lived there for several years with her husband and son. Effie and her family have recently moved out of the city to Manhasset, Long Island and are greatly enjoying the extra space! In addition to starting CityStork, Effie continues to practice pediatric speech language pathology.

What neighborhood do you live in?

Both Sierra and Effie spent the majority of their city living on the Upper West Side of NYC and loved every moment of it.

Why do you love your neighborhood?

We both love the Upper West Side for its endless family friendly attractions and relaxed vibe. There is always something new and exciting going on, from concerts and classes in the park to new museum exhibits. Best of all, the Upper West Side feels like a true neighborhood in a huge city, where people take the time to get know each other and quickly establish friendships that last.

Sierra loves Brooklyn because she’s still in the city but it feels a bit suburban in her neighborhood. Best of both worlds.

Effie loves Manhasset for its close-knit, family-friendly community and its proximity to NYC making it a perfect balance of small town and cosmopolitan living.

How did CityStork begin?

CityStork was started by two moms inspired by yucky stroller wheels. As city moms, we loved a good stroll through the streets of New York. What we didn’t love was tracking in all that lurks on the sidewalks into our homes. Even worse was trying to prevent out curious babies from exploring those dirty stroller wheels. The winter was especially more concerning as we noticed just how much dirty snow, water, germs, and salt we were actually rolling into our apartments. We needed a solution! And in the winter of 2014, CityStork’s stroller wheel covers were born.

Why do you think new parents especially need these products?

Our stroller wheel covers offer a solution to all parents who are trying to keep their homes or car trunks just a little bit cleaner. They are an easy to use product that will cover up dirty stroller wheels, allowing parents to store their stroller anywhere in their homes without the worry of transferring dirt, germs, or moisture (our covers are waterproof and absorbent!) onto floors or rugs. They are also great for keeping your trunk free from mud and dirt. So go ahead and get those wheels dirty … we’ve got you covered!

Our Stork Hooks are a colorful twist on the typical stroller hook. Parents can accessorize their stroller with these multipurpose, easy to use hooks. They feature a no slide Velcro strap and double hook design allowing you to fully enclose you bag strap so it wont slip off.  With 7 colors to select from, every stroller can find its perfect match! Now that’s functional and fun!

What’s next for CityStork?

We’ve had so much fun developing these products and have plans to release new stroller accessories in 2016 that will continue to make life just a litter easier for parents. Stay tuned!

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