Ron Meyer
Photos: Christopher Appoldt
Nautical baubles, trendy stackable rings and ocean-inspired pieces are go-to jewelry buys at Artisan House in Northport Village, New York — a historic shipbuilding port on Long Island with a tight-knit community that buys local.
Ron Meyer and Randi Johnson took over the shop in November 2021, after the previous owner Cathy Kitts posted a sign in the window: “Business for sale after 49 years.”
“It was meant to be,” says Meyer, who has spent his whole career in retail management, from owning independent record stores to working for several big boxes. He was burnt out, the pandemic changed his employment status, and he was looking for a fresh start.
“Randi and I were in Northport Village one Saturday for the farmer’s market when we saw Artisan House for sale,” he shares. Often, when he happened upon an empty storefront, he’d dream of what it could be.
This eclectic, character-filled shop called his name.
Jewelry, baby clothing, candles, glassware, wind chimes, nautical decor, sunglasses, sandals and name-drop apparel fill the walls of the shop, which was a hotel in the 1800s.
Necklaces from Shanore’s Ocean Jewelry line are available at Artisan House.
“I still have a lot of original elements like the tin ceiling and a display unit,” he says. “I tell people to look up, look down, look left and right,” he says of the floor-to-ceiling offerings of inventory. The shop is about 800 square feet and Meyer takes advantage of every inch.
Jokingly calling the boutique Artisan House 2.0, he and Johnson maintain the categories the shop is known for while expanding offerings in jewelry, for instance, that catch their eyes or might appeal to a younger audience. “We are trying to make sure we have items for some of the younger girls and teens that come into the shop because there is not a lot in town for them at this point,” Meyer says of the opportunity to expand his clientele, particularly with go-to jewelry pieces.
Stacking up sales
There’s something small-package special for everyone at Artisan House. The shop’s mix of jewelry styles includes price points ranging from $50 to $200 and averaging $60 to $70. “We are constantly trying to keep the inventory fresh,” Meyer says.
The couple buys at gift shows and seeks out vendors from sources like Faire, where they can test new lines without overbuying. “We can see how it does, and if we like it we continue with it,” says Meyer.
A real win in the jewelry department is stack rings by Center Court. With pricing tiers and numerous styles, guests can customize a look that appeals to them (and their wallet). Artisan House carries gold and sterling silver rings in this line. “To make it easier for merchandising, we color-coded each ring size,” he says. Sizes are grouped together so customers can easily mix and match bands.
“We carry a good amount and are constantly keeping the selection full,” he says, adding that the younger audience goes for this look. “They’ll buy them two or three at a time and then come back in with their friends.”
Artisan House also carries Ocean Jewelry, which is displayed as a collection. Other brands are mixed on spinners or T-rods. “We group like motifs together like nautical, fireflies, butterflies and mermaids,” says Meyer.
Artisan House’s Co-owners Ron Meyer and Randi Johnson, with Manager Dee DeFranco, at left.
Ocean Jewelry is a brand that tourist and local customers seek out. The biggest sellers are mermaid inspired, and turtles are a close second. For boaters, the shop offers nautical themes like anchors, waves and compass roses.
Acomo necklaces and earrings are a solid sterling silver seller. “We literally sell it every day, and we get them in pretty quickly, which is also nice,” Meyer says. Bali Beach Bracelets and Pura Vida offers a beachy look that goes over well with teens, and any demographic, really.
Artisan House sells 90% of its jewelry to women, but it offers some men’s wares. Those are sterling silver rings by Center Court and strappy leather or rope-like bracelets by Anju.
The latest offering is a hit gift item. Moonglow bracelets and necklaces allow guests to find out the moon phase of any special occasion by looking through a book that is kept in the shop. Every date beginning from the 1920s to present has a corresponding code, which allows you to select the correct moon phase jewelry piece. The jewelry shines by day and glows at night.
A harbor go-to
Meyer maximizes wall space and leverages display options like spinners for earrings, T-rods for necklaces and a central table for 4ocean eco-friendly jewelry. There are also glass cubes at the register. Artisan House naturally invites customers to explore.
Aside from jewelry, baby clothing is a top selling category — gifty apparel in nautical themes by brands like Posh Peanut, Henry & Me, Angel Dear and Little Me.
“When I first took over the shop I said to the previous owner, ‘Maybe I’ll get rid of the baby clothes,’ and she looked at me and said, ‘Are you crazy? Do you realize how much business is baby clothes?’”
Meyer wouldn’t think of changing it now. Baby clothing is about 50 percent of the store’s overall sales.
Because there are several other nautical decor stores in Northport Village, Artisan House veers away from the larger-scale products, though it carries some signage, glassware, tabletop items and ceramic mugs.
Summer tourists bag up Long Island- and Northport-themed T-shirts and hoodies. “We are like the souvenir store of Northport,” notes Meyer. “And we are a big dog town, so we carry a line called Puppie Love that does really well in sweatshirts, including one customized for Northport.”
Overall, Meyer is inspired by the feedback and purchasing at Artisan House, and most of all, the lifestyle of owning and operating a small business in a small, seaside town.
“The running joke is, we call it Mayberry,” says Meyer. He’s now involved in the local chamber of commerce as a board member and enjoying his new role as a retail business owner in the community.
“It’s like I got a second calling in my retail life,” he says.
