Lakewood Renaissance

If you are looking for a unique, local gift store that offers a wide variety of hand-painted items and other gift-giving essentials, look no further than Tess' Tender Touch.

Its owner and founder, Theresa Ferline-Carr, a life-long Lakewood resident and part-time Lakewood Hospital employee, knowing how much customers love hand-made items, developed an interest in starting a gift shop.

“A unique thing about the store is the hand-painted bottles from recycled glass,” said Theresa. The store also offers painted wine bottles and the increasingly popular plant feeders, which provide plant lovers a colorful and decorative way to care for their plants. Additionally, Tess’ Tender Touch supplies other gift-giving essentials, like candles and candleholders, as well as cards and jewelry. 

“I have a jeweler, Denise Gill, who uses semi-precious stones, sterling silver and Swarovski crystals,” said Theresa about her efforts to make her store a one-stop shop, adding that all items leave the store in a gift bag. “I also have a card-maker, Beth Taylor, who does greeting cards, gift tags, notepads, gift boxes, and CD clocks. Pat Loose also makes walker bags.”

Nestled amidst the eclectic shops on Madison Avenue is a little salon whose comely appearance stands as a testament to the success story of its owner, Carol Lynn Congeni. 

When it comes to the arts in Lakewood, there really is strength in numbers.

At least that is the general idea that the members of Lakewood Is Art (LIA) believe. They feel that collaboration is the way to get things done.

“We're a small group of art-minded enthusiasts who get together to promote art events,” said Ruth Koenigsmark, one of the founding members and current head of LIA, an organization that is known to work together with other like minded groups to push for more art in the community...

Lakewood Earth and Food (or LEAF) is, in the literal sense of the word, a grass-roots organization. In fact, this year’s slogan says it all: “Planting the seeds that change a city into a community.”

And while many Lakewoodites have most likely heard the name, read something about them, or seen them march in the 4th of July parade, LEAF is actually a great deal more complex than its most publicized Community Garden project. In addition to Community Gardening, LEAF supplies affordable produce on a weekly basis, brings in vendors who sell bulk, and tries to reuse waste materials...