For every East Village business that’s opening or closing, dozens are quietly making it. Here’s one of them: Linhardt Design.

Wary Meyers

This is the first Making It we’ve done with a shopkeeper whose store has closed. Last Sunday, Lisa Linhardt shuttered her jewelry showcase at 156 First Avenue after nearly five years in the East Village. But a failed business this is not. As The Local reported, she’ll reopen the shop in a considerably larger space (14 feet wide!) at 211 Mott Street. Why’d she cross Houston Street? We spoke with the designer to find out.

So why did you leave your First Avenue location?

I’m leaving to get into a large space. The new location is a boutique-lined block. As much as I loved First Avenue, it is not boutique-lined. Ninth Street is, but First Avenue just wasn’t known for fine jewelry shopping so it’s really nice for me to have that community.

How different will the rent be for you at the NoLiTa location?

The rent is definitely a lot higher so I do hope it works out for me. I feel confident I won’t lose people and that I will continue to grow. I was very lucky with the First Avenue store. I had a great landlord where my rent didn’t change. They were so supportive after we first opened. After that first period where right away I did well, it was slow that summer and my landlord was very accommodating.

Some of your customers reacted to our initial post about your move.

It caused a little storm with my customers. Some people took it as Linhardt has made it and is moving to a bigger and better location. That’s not the case. I’ve lived there since 1995 and it was like you literally had to tear me out of the neighborhood. My relatives, my grandparents and great-grandparents came from Germany through Ellis Island and lived in the Lower East Side. I am three generations living in this neighborhood. I was born in Jamaica, Queens but moved later to the East Village. Leaving for the new space has nothing to do with success. It’s an opportunity for me to try something different. Also, I know the store owner in the space before.

Besides that you know the owner of the space you just moved into, why did you choose NoLiTa over other jewelry blocks?

My clientele really stay with me through big events in their lives. I have customers who I’ve custom designed their engagement rings, wedding rings, baby gifts, etc. I didn’t want to go uptown. We aren’t an uptown vibe but we do have clients who live uptown and come down to me. We are more of a downtown vibe and aesthetic.

It’s a big risk changing to a more expensive neighborhood like NoLiTa.

It’s a scary, big venture and adventure. I want to take that risk, though. I have a great following of my work and I had lived here, so I feel good that my customers will follow me those few blocks. Also, my customers are destination shoppers so I think those will be okay with following me to the new store. Hopefully the move will broaden my client base.

Is there any fear of now being one of many as opposed to the lone diamond in the rough?

I see being with other jewelry stores as a great opportunity for me. NoLiTa is known for being a jewelry neighborhood for small, independent artists. As a business owner who wants to grow, I think it’s good to be in that vibe. People come specifically to that neighborhood to jewelry shop. It’s great to be among that with like-minded jewelers. We each are different though, and doing our own thing.

What do you love and what will you miss about the East Village?

The East Village develops such a great camaraderie. We all become friends with one another – the other business owners and the customers. I will miss my customers and neighbors who come in with their dogs. So much of my day was enjoyed having them come in with their dogs or kids and catching me up with their lives. You can take the jewelry out of Loisaida, but you can’t take the Loisaida out of me!

How do you juggle a personal and professional life when you’re a business owner?

Business comes first for me right now. I actually was living in Chelsea and just found out I lost my place. I’d love to move back to the East Village. So much is happening all at the same time. I’m homeless and we are right in the middle of construction. If I have to sleep on a few couches I will.

What have you learned in the five years you’ve been a small business owner?

I learned this is a seasonal business and each situation is independent form the next so you can never fully figure out anything in advance. I’ve learned to wear so many hats. I had to learn how to pay my bills, learn how to clean my toilets and then learn all about diamonds all in the same day. I’m not in a place where I can pay someone to do any of that yet. I literally can sell someone a $20,000 diamond ring and then clean the toilet the next day. I don’t have a financial backer or rich parents.

You have to hustle without stepping on people along the way. Your life is always business when you’re an entrepreneur. Personal and private life is blurred. Time management is a big challenge for me. I’ve become very flexible and am able to roll with punches. When big disasters happen, I remind myself that no one is dying!