Our Jewel in the Neighborhood!
Celebrating 16 years in February 2018, Marissa Alperin Studio has been a neighborhood gem at 25 State Street in Brooklyn Heights. If you have never been, we can guarantee you will now after seeing and hearing more about this amazing local jewelry designer. At Brennan, we like to promote people we think really add something to our Brooklyn communities and Marissa is a fine example of just that.
Once upon a time…
“I was the child always making things and working with my hands,” said Marissa.
Born and bred in Cobble Hill, her first career after college was as a Spanish and Italian translator at National Geographic TV in Washington (where she met her beloved John!) and then in Manhattan. In early 2000 she finally decided to pursue her passion and enrolled in The Jewelry Design Program at The Fashion Institute of Technology and so started her path to open her studio/shop.
“I love this space”, says Marissa of her studio/shop. It was actually her grandparents grocery store in the 50s before the BQE came along. Her mother, Linda, was born in the building and used to live upstairs. Five generations of her family have grown up in this neighborhood and living here now with her husband John (owner of local business Lowe Brooklyn on Atlantic Avenue) and her three children, everything has come full circle!
My clients far and wide…
Tucked away at the lower end of State Street, how do customers find her?
“Word of mouth, friends, through my kid’s schools, people I went to school with here at Packer…..have all led to customers finding me,” says Marissa. And once they do find her, people come back! Her business has become more custom for sure. “ No one really takes your stones and diamonds and re-creates pieces any more. I love doing that,” says Marissa.
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- Blue Topaz/Green Amethyst/Citrine Earrings
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- Opal & Chrysoprase Earrings
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- Colored Sapphire & Diamond Rings
Supporting the hood
“This neighborhood has changed a lot since I started here but the people remain a constant,” says Marissa. With the development of the park and the waterfront there is a ton more foot traffic passing the store.
Embroidery, knitting, creative arts
“I love what I do,” says Marissa, “and I love to give back to the neighborhood and offer my clients and friends opportunities to be creative themselves”. How does Marissa do that? She has such a lovely space and uses it to teach adult classes in weaving, embroidery, jewelry making or knitting! “Not only is this fun for them and me,” says Marissa, “but it is also very calming and meditative.”
To support friends, she is happy to host events at the studio, such as art shows. She is also a fixture at events for causes or institutions that she supports or has personal connections with; selling her jewelry and donating a percentage back.
“Giving back is important to me,” says Marissa, “that’s part of living in such a close knit community”.
What’s popping!!
Multi gemstone rings
We asked Marissa what trends in jewelry design and fashion she was observing right now and her influences.
Re-setting rings is a big trend right now, particularly diamond rings.
Platinum used to be popular but now it is more yellow or rose gold.
“I love color,” says Marissa and this is why she tries to incorporate it tastefully into what she designs. Often clients just leave it up to her to decide on the colors because they trust her implicitly.
Delicate pieces, one of a kind, things that you do not commonly see are all part of what she is known for.
Weaving is something she got into because she inherited all her yarn from her beloved mommy Linda. “I just taught myself,” says Marissa.
What does she hope for the future??
“I hope the business slowly continues to grow,” says Marissa. “I love the people I have met through the shop, many have become good friends. This is a special neighborhood that we live in, surrounded by familiar places and friends.”
Marissa continues to summer with her family at her maternal grandmother’s home in La Coruna, a small coastal town in Spain. “Childhood summers spent there definitely influenced me creatively and still inspire me as an adult visiting with my family,” says Marissa. “Spanish has helped me my whole life, I use it daily in the industry. It is really important to me also that my kids are bilingual, as it has helped me so much in my life.”
With all her Instagram followers and friends she has a loyal and loving fan base!
If you have not yet been to Marissa Alperin Studio you should go and make your wish list! You won’t be disappointed. In fact go this weekend to her holiday trunk show!
Sunday December 10th
Holiday Trunk Show
12pm-5pm
Marissa Alperin Studio
25 State St, Brooklyn Heights
www.marissaalperin.com , mastudio@gmail.com #handmadejewelry #madeinbrooklyn #shopsmall #marissaalperinstudio #oneofakindjewelry
We asked Marissa our favorite real estate community questions and this is what she said:
What is your favorite feature in your studio?
I love the tin walls and ceilings in my shop. They tell a story and show history.
What is one of your decorating tips?
Hang up art, photos, kids art. I love seeing walls full of pictures. It makes your space feel lived in and loved. Bare walls in a beautiful home make me want to bring nails and a hammer next time I come over! Ha, that’s something my mom would do:)
If you could move somewhere else, where would it be?
My second home would be and is in La Coruña, Spain. We spend 2 months there every summer with our 3 children and we all love everything about it. La Coruña is a beautiful, seaside town in Galicia. I have some of my best friendships there from spending my summers as a kid. It’s a culture and language I want my children to know well and so far we have succeeded.
If you could add any dream feature to your home what would it be?
I love our house, it reminds me of the house I grew up in which is actually right next door. It would be nice to have our laundry magically do itself…not exactly the answer you want!
What is your favorite local shop or restaurant?
I’m all about shopping local and supporting our neighborhood shops. It’s a dying trend with everything online but any neighborhood would be pretty sad without fun shops to visit. Aside from our family businesses, Lowe Brooklynand Goose Barnacle, I love Diane T, Collyer’s Mansion, Lily, the Brooklyn Women’s Exchange and Spangle Jewelry. It’s hard to pick just one. As for restaurants Noodle Pudding and Long Island Bar win:)
Acknowledgements
All these marvelous pictures were taken by her good friend Dora Somosi,@dorasomosi photography, who also designed her website www.marissaalperin.com.
