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By Ginger DeShaney Gemstones and bracelets. That’s how it started. Stephanie Greenstein was looking to buy a bunch of bracelets from a shop. But they were $45 each, which got her to thinking, “I could do that.” So she did. She made herself bracelets, and her friends noticed them. They wanted her to make them bracelets, too, so Stephanie made them for free. “I was making pieces for friends, then those friends told their friends,” Stephanie said. And people were willing to pay.  “It started as a hobby and shifted to an actual business.” She opened her e-commerce website -- https://stephiechic.com/ -- in June 2019. Stephie Chic features Stephanie’s beautiful handmade creations: bracelets, earrings, necklaces, tie-dye clothing, masks, and hair accessories. Stephanie took her passion [...]

By Ginger DeShaney For Erin Ghella and Marty Horn, one blessing came out of the COVID-19 pandemic: their new hair boutique, Feather & Waves.  During the state shutdown, Marty was laid off from her job and Erin’s hours were drastically cut. Marty called Erin and asked: “Do you want to open a salon with me? I’m serious. It needs to happen.” “We held hands and said, ‘Let’s go,’ ” said Erin. “We’re Laverne and Shirley over here.” “It’s one good thing that came out of COVID,” Marty said. “I never thought I’d actually do it. But we had no choice. No one was hiring.” Located at 653 E. Broadway, Feather & Waves Hair Boutique has been open for about two months. Marty, 30, and Erin, [...]

By Ginger DeShaney With everything going on in the world right now -- from the Covid-19 pandemic to the political situation -- people are seeking an antidote. One such medicine comes with a mat.  “At this point, our mental well-being is at the forefront,” said Andrea Corazzini, owner of East Side Yoga & Fitness at 584 E. Broadway. “We’re trying to navigate this new landscape.” Andrea likes to say that the physical part gets people on the mat, and the mental benefits keep them there. “Exercise helps you get out of your own head. Someone tells you what to do so you can just zone out.” Yoga offers a sense of peace and mindfulness, Andrea said, something we could all use right now. “It clears [...]