I started Maison Rue after my first child, Stevie Rue, was born. Maison meaning home, and Rue, her middle name. In many ways, this began as “Rue’s home.”

With a degree in early childhood education, I thought I’d easily find toys I loved. Instead, I kept running into the same problem—overstimulating, plastic toys that didn’t last, didn’t feel intentional, and didn’t belong in our space.

I found myself drawn to beautiful European brands—thoughtfully made, higher quality, and designed to last. But they were often unavailable in the U.S.

So I created what I couldn’t find. Maison Rue is built on the belief that toys can be both developmentally meaningful and beautifully designed.

A month after launching, I found out I was pregnant with my second child, Wolfe. In those early years, I was building this brand while deep in motherhood. In 2025, our home and business were impacted by the Palisades wildfires, and we lost all of our inventory. It forced me to refocus, and grow in a new ways.

Every order, message and shared moment has helped build something much bigger than I imagined.

I’m so glad you’re here!

Vanessa Gex