NUTLEY, N.J. — It’s where authenticity meets craftsmanship. Pretty Handy, a gift shop and makers space, brings local artists and entrepreneurs together to showcase the very best of the community.
“It’s mostly handmade and if we don’t make it, it’s made by someone else who is local,” co-owner Robert Noone told PIX11 News.
At the helm are Noone and his fiancée, Joyce Lin. The couple said they wanted to bring a unique experience to town.
From customized engraving and décor that celebrates their town to unique do-it-yourself kits — it was this crafty approach to business that helped them stay above water at the height of the pandemic.
“In the first day, we had only had 12 bird houses and we sold out within minutes,” Lin told PIX11. “So then we were like ‘what else could we do?'”
According to Noone, kids “just needed something to do when they were in lockdown” and Pretty Handy gave them a helping “hand.”
With the holidays now in full swing, the couple wanted to return the favor and cater to their biggest supporters.
They created a special shopping experience called “The Kids Shop” where children are escorted with a clerk to a closed-off section of the store where they can shop for their parents while they wait.
The presents are then wrapped on site, adding to the suspense on Christmas Day.
“As long as they could keep it a secret, under the tree for how many days, then [parents] will be surprised on Christmas,” Lin said.
The experience is not only memorable, but allows children to take part in the magic.
“It’s the thought from the kid that counts,” Noone said.
