The Small Business Spotlight series features small businesses and their owners, to get a feel for what truly makes Southwest Raleigh a great place to live, work, learn, and play: the people.
Ornamentea is one of my personal favorite shops in Southwest Raleigh, and I’m excited to introduce you to Cynthia Deis: founder and one of the owners of this unique bead, jewelry, and craft shop. Ornamentea was one of the first shops open in what is now the thriving neighborhood of Glenwood South, so their story is quite unique.
swral: How did Ornamentea begin? Tell us a little of the history and evolution of the shop.
I was designing and selling jewelry to catalogs and department stores out of a studio space on Glenwood Avenue in the Carter Building. My husband took a leave of absence from his tech job in RTP to help my business grow. He suggested we add a retail component to our business, and we spent a few weeks putting up a wall across the front of the studio to make a small store.
We were pioneers. At that time, Glenwood Avenue was pretty desolate. It was thirteen years ago and there wasn’t ANY of the development that we now have. The only real retail was Askew-Taylor and a bridal shop. The Rockford was open, Milk-n-More Cafe, and Sunflowers, but nothing else. There were offices and shops, but the sea of condos and sidewalk tables we have now wasn’t even a dream.
Once we opened the store we quickly realized that we needed to add a work table in the store. There was no place in Raleigh where someone could find out how to make a pair of simple earrings or fix a broken necklace. A very talented woman who worked for me suggested we just put some chairs around a display table. This changed the dynamic of our business from a funky retail store to a place to learn. I realized that my true calling wasn’t as a jewelry designer, but as a teacher. I REALLY LOVED teaching skills to people who had never made jewelry before. We’d help women fix broken family treasures, and brides put together their wedding jewelry. Seeing that light-bulb moment when the learning occurred was so rewarding and fun and those relationships we formed at our work table made me happy to unlock the door each morning. Some of those earliest customers went on to start their own jewelry lines and have their own stores, and many of them still shop with us.
Being in Raleigh is an integral part of our store’s success. We have such a wealth of talent and creativity in this city and that has let our store grow. There are so many design and craft oriented people here who have the energy and drive to create and think and DO and I think that’s something that is really unique about Raleigh.
swral: Other than the joy of teaching, what is your favorite part of owning and running Ornamentea?
I really enjoy having work that is so very public and so much a part of the community. It’s a real joy to hear someone say, “Oh, my friend and I always meet here for dinner on Tuesdays!” as I did last week in the shop. That work table in the center of our store is still a gathering place and so many crafty, creative decisions get made there. I love that I get to witness that activity and hope that all of us in the shop can nudge it along every now and again.
swral: Future plans for the shop?
Our store is currently focused on jewelry making with small sections for paper arts and felting. I’d love to add more fibers, maybe yarns, and more beads of course. I also have a long-range dream of having more amenities at the store: drinks and snacks for crafters, larger classrooms and meeting spaces, even an outdoor area for messy, outside crafts and the occasional food-truck picnic!
[swral: Ornamentea hosts Pop-Up Sunday, featuring local artists and food trucks. Klausie’s Pizza and other food trucks can be found at Ornamentea on various weeknights as well…sounds like this goal is checked off the list!]
We love our current building but it is TOO SMALL in so many ways. We are constantly squeezing one more bit of work space or display space or classroom space out of it. In the future we’d love to find another, larger location in Southwest Raleigh. My husband and I live a few blocks from the store, and we don’t want that to change too much. All the development and growth that has taken place in this area is great for our family as we enjoy the dining choices, the shopping, the life in the streets. It’s not great, however, for our real estate needs! I’m hoping that the perfect building will just appear at the perfect moment.
Our family has become very rooted in Southwest Raleigh and I can’t imagine decamping for any other place. Our business is a lifestyle for our family, it is part of who all four of us are, and our business really couldn’t exist anywhere else.
Huge thanks to Cynthia for a great interview. The story of Ornamentea is a great example of what makes Southwest Raleigh so great – business owners who love their craft (no pun intended) combined with people who love their neighborhood.
Find Ornamentea at 509 N. West Street, on their YouTube channel, Twitter, Pinterest, or Facebook. Ornamentea’s website is also a great resource, with free tutorials, a shop, and a place to register for the seemingly endless classes offered. Head there on Tuesdays for a $3 guided project, and each First Friday for free jewelry making. And make sure to say hi to Cynthia.
Photo credit: Ornamentea.com