Glitzee Gal Creations, a handmade women’s and children’s jewelry boutique, celebrated its grand opening in Mattituck this April.
The shop can be found inside the Mo Chuisle Moya Strast School of Dance on Pike Street.
The store specializes in sterling silver personalized pendants, fashion jewelry and girls’ bottle cap necklaces. It also sells tutus and children’s hair bows made by a friend, Melissa King.
Storeowner and Mattituck resident Linda Stavrinos, who served as the director of the Southold Mothers’ Club from 2011 to 2012, began making jewelry after the birth of her daughter Alexis, now 8.
“I needed an outlet,” said Ms. Stavrinos, who also has a son Nikolas, 6.
She attended a beading class held at craft-store chain Michaels and began creating jewelry for friends and family. In 2009, she took a metalsmith class at Suffolk County Community College – a move that inspired the full-time mother to transform her hobby into a full-fledged business.
“At that point I became absolutely hooked,” Ms. Stavrinos said. “I transformed my entire garage into a workshop.”
In 2011, Mo Chuisle dance instructor Cheryl Kiel asked Ms. Stavrinos, whose daughter, Alexis, takes Russian-style ballet at the studio, to make pendants for students featured in a dance recital.
Earlier this year, Ms. Stavrinos asked Ms. Kiel about opening a small boutique in an empty room in the front of the dance studio.
With the help of Southold Mothers’ Club friends Gabriela Samolewski and Vicki Trapani, Glitzee Gal Creations was up and running.
“I’m really excited to be able to reach the locals,” Ms. Stavrinos said. “We’re a tight-knit community out here and I think it’s important that we support each other in business.”
Glitzee Gal Creations is located at 445 Pike Street and is open Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It has extended hours Wednesdays and Fridays, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.