Destined to Bead

Owning your own business can come with many rewards: expanding to a new location, having the pleasure of going to work every day to do exactly what you love and share it with others, or watching as pleased customers share items made with your products.

Of course, there are some less than wonderful aspects as well, such as an early morning call from an employee who has found your store flooded due to a damaged roof.

Diane Baranowski, owner of Beadles Beads, has experienced each of these satisfactions and frustrations, and still loves her growing business.

"I've been beading and making jewelry since I was 10. I don't know anything different. It's like I was destined to bead," Baranowski said.

That creative drive led Baranowski to open the first Beadles in her hometown of Westord several years ago. She opened a second location in Rockport within a few years, and moved her first store to Chelmsford once she outgrew the Westford space.

"I knew the owner of this building, and when an opening came up, I jumped at the opportunity. It'll be two years in February," she said.

Beadles offers its customers a wide array of beads and beading equipment for novices through more experienced crafters. Tables throughout the inviting store are covered in small bowls filled with beads organized by color, ranging from hand-crafted pendants to children's letter beads and everything in between. The walls are hung with small packs and tubes of smaller beads, just waiting to be strung together into a new necklace.

To get started in beading, Baranowski suggests coming in for a free workshop night at Beadles. Workshops held every second Tuesday of the month from 6 p.m. to 7p.m. There, customers can speak to beading experts, get introduced to the materials, and try your hand at the art.

This taste of beading will help you decide if it's for you or not, said Baranowski.

"If you love it, then it's pretty inexpensive to get started beading. Just pick up a few pieces of equipment, some beads and string, and then you can make jewelry for way less than you would pay in the store," Baranowski said.

The workshop nights have been a hit with Beadles beaders. Customers are of all different ages, skill levels, and types of beaders, from beginners to advanced innovators.

"People bring in the coolest  stuff," she said. "We've had people bring in quilting projects that they add beads to, some pieces for proms, and even some stunning wedding sets."

Baranowski enjoys that she and the rest of her staff get to spend a few hours getting to know more about their customers, learning new techniques, and helping people out.

"I like when someone comes in stuck on a difficult piece or step and I can help. It makes a world of difference for someone struggling with a project," she said.

For younger beaders, Beadles offers birthday party packages, where kids can make a necklace or bracelet with their friends and an instructor.

For the adult crowd, the popular Ladies' Nights are a great opportunity to spend some time with friends or make some new ones. On any given Ladies' Night, you can find a dozen or so women happily comparing projects while chatting and sharing snacks.

Baranowski splits her time between Chelmsford and Rockport, but is in one or both stores nearly every day.

"Our two locations offer the same things to our customers, and the towns are pretty similar, but they definitely have different feels. Chelmsford is more bustling and lively with the main street right outside our door, while Rockport is quieter, more old school," she said.

Baranowski is happy with her decision to open a location in the town.

"I really like owning a business in Chelmsford. The town welcomes small businesses, and it's a great place to be. They let us put up sidewalk signs when we have a new promotion and are always very supportive."

Supporting one's community is important to Beadles Beads, and both locations will be taking part in a food drive to support local food pantries. For the month of September, customers can bring non-perishable food items to either store and receive a discount on their purchase. One item is good for a 10% discount, two will earn 15%, and three or more will receive 20% off any purchase.

Items brought to the Chelmsford location will be donated to the Chelmsford Community Exchange and the Open Pantry in Lowell. Items brought to the Rockport location will be donated to the Open Door Food Pantry in Gloucester.

Baranowski looks forward to growing her business and continuing to support the town, "We really like being a part of the Chelmsford community. The area is cute and quaint. It's almost timeless."