86th Street is a very noisy place with lots of people chattering, lots of cars passing, and especially with trains roaring every five minutes above on their elevated tracks. The people I walked by were quite diverse – there were the typical elderly Asian grandparents walking at a mile an hour, the typical Asian men smoking and vaping, as well as the typical Asian teenagers grabbing bubble tea. The Asian ethnicity is the one I associate this part of Bensonhurst with, but this was not always the case. In fact, the neighborhood used to be mostly Italian and Jewish before a large influx of Asian immigrants, and the store I will be focusing on was part of that influx.
A few steps off of busy 86th Street was a small jewelry store called Roz One Jewelry. It was tucked behind a large supermarket that jutted out from the corner, nearly completely hiding the store from the common passerby. The store had an overall shabby appearance and a large CLOSED sign on the door, both of which contributed to the unwelcoming vibe. Luckily, the storeowner buzzed us in, recognizing my partner and I as we approached. Her name was Roz, and besides us three, the store was empty.
In 1984, Roz migrated from Burma to Bensonhurst in search of better opportunities and a better life for her children. The most difficult challenge of migrating here, however, was that she had to start all over. Her first job here was in the garment industry, but she made and sold jewelry on the side to her co-workers and friends, who were very impressed by her work. Eventually, people liked her jewelry enough that she rented a little counter in a nearby jewelry store, and when that was successful enough, she rented this place. In December 1997, Roz One Jewelry opened up shop. It took Roz 13 years from when she immigrated to when she felt brave and daring enough to open her own shop.
The place itself used to be a shoe store and then a boutique before finally becoming a jewelry store. As for why she chose the place, Roz believed the neighborhood was a very good option because she could open and close at any time. It was also close to her house, so that she could easily take care of her daughter. Another reason was that in that area, barely anyone knew how to hand make jewelry, so she began offering a service that was not common.
She has all kinds of customers. Some are young teenagers, while some are old ladies. Some are very rich doctors, while some are poor immigrants. A few groups prefer all Jade, one prefers all pearl, and another prefers all Swarovski.
As for the ethnicities of her customers, they include Chinese, Italian, Jewish, and Russian. Roz actually said she gets “more Italian” customers, which possibly seems strange considering the demographic changes that have happened in Bensonhurst. In zip code 11214, where Roz One Jewelry is located, the Asian population has risen significantly from 1980 to 2014, causing the Asian-American immigrant influx. This is right around the time when Roz moved to the United States and opened up her business.
[aesop_parallax img=”https://files.eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/5439/2016/05/16111041/Asian-population-1980-vs-2014.png” parallaxbg=”off” caption=”Comparison of the Asian population in 1980 and in 2014.