Business & Tech

Wilton's Alice Woods: Guerilla in the Marketplace

Wilton mom Alice Woods is a savvy marketeer, using her booth at SoNo Marketplace to tweak her online jewelry assortment.

Wilton mom and jewelry entrepreneur Alice Woods whose business, A Single Strand, operates online much like Megan LaBant Abrahamsen's Blue Star Bazaar which was profiled by Patch last week

Woods has a weekend shop at SoNo Marketplace and makes the rounds of crafts and gifts fair. Using the combination of the show and fair circuit and the marketplace booth, she finds the face-to-face feedback from customers invaluable. 

"A Single Strand" started out of Woods' love of jewelry and a need for a necklace to go with an evening dress for a formal event. At the time, she had a great dress but no jewelry. Discovering an old strand of amber her mother had given her years earlier, she re-made it into a sophisticated piece and was amazed at how many people asked her where she had bought it. That started her wheels in motion.  

Woods took her inspiration from that moment as well as from the dresses that filled trunks full of her grandmother's dresses. The trunks were filled with 20s and 30s dresses, and Woods appreciated their elegance.

After college, Woods spent 15 years working in the fashion industry. Then came children and a desire to be at home with them. Now, with her boys both in Wilton High School – Ted is a senior and Andrew is a sophomore – she decided it was time to go back to creating, this time in the accessories world. 

Woods has focused on jewelry, hair accessories, scarves, wraps and handbags.
"Accessories can change an outfit and make it your own," said Woods. "All of us have a favorite outfit, and, rather than replacing it it's easy to update it with a new accessory."

In lieu of traditional marketing, Woods invests time, energy and imagination in her SoNo Marketplace booth, which is open Friday through Sunday. She refines and tries new items out and carefully takes note of customer feedback. 

"Nothing substitutes for face-to-face interaction with customers," said Woods.     

Woods also collaborates with local non-profits and charities, coming up with give-aways for supporters and fundraisers.   

"Often, the way it works is when they make a donation they receive a gift as a thank you and I help the charities come up with something terrific," said Woods. "For example, not long ago, for breast cancer awareness, I did a breast cancer pin."

Woods has also collaborated with the DVCC (Domestic Violence Crisis Center) and on an Alzheimer's event with Richard's.

"A Single Strand" also makes the rounds of holiday gift fairs and seasonal craft shows. She be at the Cannondale Foliage Arts and Crafts Fair which runs Sat., Oct. 6th from 10am - 4pm and Sunday Oct. 7th from 11am - 5pm, 28 Cannon Rd. in Cannondale Village.

Find Woods at SoNo Marketplace on weekends. The marketplace is located at 314 Wilson Ave., and is open Friday and Saturday from 10:00am - 8:00pm and Sundays from 10:00am- 6:00pm.

Or find "A Single Strand" online.


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