Firefly

This is a great little bead store where you can create your own jewelry or buy something pre-​made. Lots of gorgeous bead options.
Staff was very helpful. I went in because they said they carry body jewelry and I found a nifty new piece for my nose piercing.
This would be a fun place to take a child who wants to make themselves some unique jewelry.

Fun place very helpful

I really wanted to take classes with my Unilocal deal, but the fine print prevented me. I’ll get back later for classes. I bought beautiful handmade jewelry instead. win, win.
Great selection of beads. I can’t wait to try to bead my own.

I found this store to have a nice selection and great customer service. They also had a large selection of finished products to get inspiration from. If I lived in the area I would definitely try some of their classes.

I called the store before going and the woman who spoke with me was very helpful. She answered my questions and was very patient with me. I have worked retail in the past and I know that sometimes, especially at Christmas, that you have to wait on in-​store customers while on the phone. I appreciate that! When I arrived at the store a couple hours later,(unfortunately about 15 minutes before closing), she remembered our conversation and showed me where the items were located. She also helped me to find a particular earring finding. She did not try to rush me even though it was late. I did not have a chance to look closely at their beads because of the time. If customer service is important to you, you will find it here!

They have a great selection of beads and accessories from all over — a lot of African oriented stuff when I went in. But the one thing I found here which I didn’t find at Michael’s were brass eye pins — and some fancy clasps. They also have a lot of ready to wear jewelry — I bought a very nice bracelet made of very tiny beads. There is also someone who can make your stuff if you pick out what you want. She was too busy when I went, so I didn’t bother.

This place is great, wide selection, nice atmosphere (except for the like, fifteen ten-​year-​old girls???), and pretty good prices.
(more detail)
Selection: very wide, ALMOST as wide as it gets. (I was looking for owl beads for my grandmother who is obsessed with Molly and McGee, the barn owls, but they didnt have any.) all sorts of materials, including sea glass, which i have never worked with before.
Price: GOOD. VERY GOOD. but we are talking semi-​precious stones, which are of course not cheap. AMAZING prices on individual beads, especially the Swarovski crystals, which are usually SO hard to find for a decent price,
Service: A-​Okay. not the most friendly, but i suspect little Hannah (or whatever her name was)‘s birthday party had the one lady there a little tuckered out. She wasn’t too weird about me asking for owl beads, either.

This is an adorable bead and jewelry store in Carr Mill mall with a wide selection of beads and findings for jewelry making. My daughters and I stopped in to buy some jewelry for a birthday gift. We didn’t have time to make it ourselves but one of the cool gals working there asked us to pick out the beads and she would whip up some earrings for us. She was able to make us a customized gift in minutes with the birthday recipients favorite color.
We found the store pretty and inspiring with helpful staff and a beautiful array of beads and stones. We do some jewelry design at home so I am sure we’ll be back for supplies. Worth a stop in and an asset to the Carr Mill mall and Carrboro. Much nicer than getting beads at Hobby Lobby plus local.

The Original Ornament is hands-​down one of my favorite little shops in the Triangle. They have a great selection of beads and fixtures from around the world and in all shapes, sizes, and materials.
The staff is always very friendly and patient, which is great because unless you’re an experienced beader, you’re probably going to need their help. It can be a little pricey, depending on both what you’re trying to make and the materials you want to use.
I’ve made two necklaces in the store, both of which were around $ 30 when you include beads, fixtures, and labor from the staff. There is a small fee if you just choose the beads and then have an employee make the piece for you.
The Original Ornament also hosts periodic beading workshops and has a small selection of cute beaded jewelry that you can buy if you’re not feeling creative.

Do-​it-​yourself jewelry? Surely you jest! How shall the huddled masses adapt to their new found power? It shall be anarchy, say I!
The formula here is this: The large, open floor of the store consists of bins of beads and stones and whatnot, all with their own prices. You collect a bag of beads, then head to the smaller portion of the store in the back where you assemble the beads into pieces of jewelry using wires and pliers and… What else is used in making jewelry? Nano-​lathes? Sure thing.
The whole system seems to be fairly smooth, and there’s a staggering variety of jewelry that can come out of the place. I can’t say for sure since I didn’t wade through the sea of not-​readily-​apparent fees that are sure to infest such a place, but the prices seem very doable. The staff is by necessity very involved with all the customers, which seem to mostly be under 4 feet in height (children, not midgets).
This is something new and different, and that’s a huge virtue all its own. As if that wasn’t enough, it produces fair quality jewelry as well. Woot.

This is a really open store with tons of jewels to create. They’ve been in the Chapel Hill-​Carrboro area for about 13 years. They have gorgeous stones and pieces for making your own necklaces, braclets and earrings, plus so much more. Stones from the Americas to Africa. Magazines loaded with tons of information and creative ideas on crafting your own gems. The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable.

This store is fun… even if you’re not crafty, I don’t know how you’ll be able to resist sticking your hands into the bins and playing with all the beads. They’ve got bins all over the store, filled with beads of every shape, size, color, and material. There’s also a large wall covered in strands of already strung beads — semiprecious stones, freshwater pearls, African wood and horn beads, and Czech glass beads. They also sell books and magazines about beads, as well. You can come in and work on a project in the store, or bring a group in to string beads together.