In less than a week, visitors at Bell Boulevard’s Sunday Stroll can shop handcrafted goods from some of the area’s small businesses.
The Bayside Village Business Improvement District announced a new partnership with MadeinQueens, featuring a boutique block chock full of fine art, homemade treats and other unique finds. The BID will host the shopping strip in Bayside along with the Queens Economic Development Corporation and the Bayside United Methodist Church.
On Sept. 22 from noon to 5 p.m., Sunday Stroll attendees can get a jump on their holiday shopping at the outdoor market, located on the front lawn of the church at 38-20 Bell Blvd. While shopping, don’t forget to enjoy free live music, activities and outdoor dining during the Sunday Stroll.
Below are eight of the Queens and Long Island businesses that will be featured for one day only at the MadeinQueens Boutique Block.
Chances Environmentally Friendly Products
Marina Horan founded Chances based on her desire to create employment opportunities for lower functioning adults with autism like her son Joseph. The Long Island-based business started out selling lavender sachets and eventually branched out to creating lavender sprays and non-toxic, environmentally friendly laundry soap. Chances also sells homemade body scrubs, Epsom salts, balms and massage oils.
Rockaway Park resident Renee Radenberg specializes in glass sculptures, mobiles and jewelry, which the artist has worked with almost exclusively for the past 17 years. “Glass has a wonderful physical property — transparent or opaque — allowing you to see the illusion of space and depth, the constant play of positive and negative spaces,” said Radenberg. Purchase one-of-a-kind glass pieces including wall hangings, sculptures and delicate cuff links, earrings and necklaces.
If you’re searching for a special scent, look no further than Callio Fragrance. Founder Melissa Gibson started the company in 2011 after a decade of mixing her own fragrances. The company creates perfumes based on scents like a local bakery, fresh flowers, the ocean breeze and just-picked peaches. Fragrances come in 1 ounce or .25 ounce sizes.
Katiuska Medrano has been selling homemade jewelry on her Etsy shop since 2015. According to the MadeinQueens website, the founder decided to turn her passion for collecting precious stones into more than just a hobby. Medrano said that the different stones have a specific purpose or benefit and each piece is meant to promote a positive attitude. All the businesses jewelry is handmade with “original and pure materials.”
Ridgewood resident Marissa Baca is the founder of grl & co., a multidisciplinary creative studio specializing in “down-to-earth design processes and accessories.” Whether it’s greeting cards, accessories or art prints and banner for the home, shoppers are sure to find unique pieces suited to all needs.
Widad Franco started this paper goods and gifts studio with the purpose of “capturing small moments in the big city.” About A Cloud specializes in greeting cards, prints, and decor items made from paper, wood and fabric. Many of the pieces feature the color and textures she grew up with in Ecuador, combined with the expansive skylines and old buildings of big cities. Whether its her own cat Mimosa or street performers jamming out, Franco’s work captures the nuances and subtleties of everyday life.
SD Sauce sells Thai-style hot sauce known as “nam jim” sauce, which combines the four traditional Thai flavors: salty, sweet, sour and spice. The raw, handcrafted sauce is produced in a commercial kitchen in Long Island City using natural, fresh ingredients free from artificial flavors and preservatives. SD Sauce sells two flavors, original and ginger vegan, in 5-, 10-, 12- and 32-ounce options.
Shop Feel Good Chocolates to find a sweet treat with healthy ingredients. Founder Chen Shaw wanted to create a healthy alternative to her daughter’s favorite processed sweets. Shaw studied at the chocolate making at the International Culinary Center and conducted countless experiments in her own kitchen. Each chocolate bar is made from 72 percent or higher organic, cold-pressed cacao, organic, raw honey and superfruits and superfoods. The “clean” chocolate bars are also wrapped in environmentally friendly packaging.
