The Bead Shop

Seductively veiled by dozens of expertly strung beaded curtains hanging in the front windows above overwhelming piles of colorful bowling balls, this groovy little shop has been around forever. More than a hidden corner of Rice Village dedicated to beading masters who want to stock up on their supplies, The Bead Shop will mend your broken jewelry and (the best part) offers pieces that have been created by the virtuoso bead wizards who design their works in the back of the store. Here is a paradise of color and semiprecious stones (from every shade of coral, jade and turquoise to beads faceted in many different shapes) that inspires us to cancel our afternoon tennis matches and spend the rest of the day fashioning one-of-a-kind jewelry. The staff is friendly and helpful as long as you’re not pawing through their carefully sorted dishes. But it’s not all about accessories. We have one friend who bought tons of jewel-colored stones here and hot-glued them to the wall in her bathroom to give it a festive glam/Guatemala look.