Shopping Spree

Just Opened: Nice Things Handmade

by Felicia D'Ambrosio

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Published: Jan 27, 2010

Elissa Kara, 34, grew up in an extended Jewish household at Fifth and Pine. "A lot of people think, oh, that's very Society Hill," she says. "But they were really the last of a different generation. Our family had lived in that house since the early 1900s — they watched the neighborhood change."

Kara's childhood experiences visiting her grandfather's haberdashery on South Street and her mother's store in Atlantic City, also called Nice Things, inspired her to dare to open her own venue for artists to sell their wares. Kara's Nice Things Handmade will debut across the street from Marra's restaurant on Feb. 13, with a diverse collection of handmade clothing for men, women and children; art prints; ceramics and jewelry — all at, she stresses, very reasonable prices. In addition to selling Nicole Rae Styer's one-of-a-kind dresses (pictured), and men's shirts from Florida designer B Minus, Kara plans to host spinning, sewing and silkscreening workshops, as well as after-school classes for kids. Participation in East Passyunk Avenue's Second Saturday gallery nights is also a must, as well as awareness events and benefits for good causes like cancer research.

"My mom died a year and a half ago of cancer. I'd like to give back," she says. "My mom loved to fill her store with handmade, nice things. I love having a place where people can find some treasure they never expected to find."

(felicia.dambrosio@citypaper.net)

Sat., Feb. 13, 7-10 p.m., 1731 E. Passyunk Ave., nicethingshandmade.com.

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