All Over Albany

EB Essentials

EB Essentials on Lark St.

If you've strolled down Lark street after 5PM, you may have wandered into EB Essentials.

If you've strolled down Lark Street before 5PM, you may have seen some of their locally made gifts from the window, tried to get in and whimpered a little from the other side of the glass.

Yes, it's a little frustrating, but here's the deal...

EB Essentials isn't a full time job.

It's a side gig for craft lovers Erin Brewer and Marcy Nielson. Erin is a jewelery maker and Marcy is an avid knitter, but crafting wasn't going to pay the bills. Marcy is the director of the learning center at the College of Saint Rose and Erin is a regional coordinator for Capital Region BOCES, but they really wanted to sell their crafts.

Still, there's Etsy, right? Why open a store with all the overhead involved? Well, they do sell a bit on Etsy, but Erin & Marcy say they were looking for something more intimate.

"We both have always loved the eclectic stores on Lark and felt that our store model fit well here," says Erin. "We knew that if we were to start a business this was where we wanted to be. As a business on the street we have the opportunity to be directly involved in great community events such as Art on Lark, Lark Fest, and First Friday. Most importantly, one of the best aspects of owning a business on Lark is having the opportunity to meet and interact with so many people."

So they spend their evenings at the shop, selling hand made jewelery, handbags stained glass, lighting and gifts.

On a recent visit, some of my favs included hand-detailed initial pendants and glass pendants ($10), luxurious handmade scarves ($20-25), local photography from Earthtone Images, and personalized embroidered pet blankets ($25, includes embroidery plus shipping; or $15 without personalization).

Also, check out the $10 or less corner, especially the fabric-covered hoops (petite floral prints) and fabric-covered hair ties (both $7.50).

And one more tip -- they do special orders so you may be able to get that piece of jewelry made for your wedding party, or the photo you like in a larger size.