By ROB SULLIVAN There is very little about Hazel Daze that is not unique. Located at 86 Post Road in Fairfield on the shores of the Ash Creek near the Black Rock section of Bridgeport, this mind bending little store is billed as a funky home boutique. Hazel Daze is all of that and more. Owner Lib DeNure will shortly be completing her second year at the funky home boutique, and her shop has already captured the hearts of many local residents. Maybe it is the enthusiasm and commitment that the owner shows to every customer. Or maybe it is the sense of community that pervades the atmosphere at Hazel Days that keeps her clientele coming back. Or maybe it is all of the above that DeNures shop an unqualified success. We try our best to support local artists and we sometimes host events here at the store, explained DeNure. In a way, its all kind of a collaborative energy. The kernel of the idea that eventually became hazel daze first popped in January 2012 after a visit to the New York Gift fair at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan. The trade show helped inspire DeNure to believe that the unique gifts on display featuring wonderful colors and textures could translate into her own boutique. The timing was right, she recalled. I was inspired and I found a great storefront available right after the first time I walked into a commercial real estate office and told them what I wanted. The realtor was great and offered me a cheap price. I was impulsive and I just said, Ill take it. The next step was converting the space, the site of a former hookah lounge, into the eye catching store it is today. So Lib DeNure decided to call in the troops. The interior of the place really needed work, explained the owner. I have an amazing group of friends and family and we just came in and attacked the job. We got rid of all the debris and then we painted and now the inside of the store is colorful and warm. Indeed it is. And it is also the showcase for a host of artistic and eclectic gifts and utile works of art that lend themselves to lengthy stints of browsing. Among some of the numerous items carried by Hazel Daze are embroidered pillows, throws and fringes (and owls) by Karma Living, pewter jewelry by Tamara Henrick Designs, stained shaped glass lamps by Standard Specialty and wine, martini, pilsner, rocks and shot glasses from Lolita. DeNure also attributes a great deal of her success to her location, noting that she has received tremendous support from the Grasmere and Black Rock neighborhoods. Its a really lovely area, she explained. The people are so nice and they continue to be great repeat customers. The Grasmere neighbors are so loyal its unbelievable and so are the black Rockers. The name Hazel Daze is a tribute to a treasured relative of the stores owner. Hazel was my grandmothers name: we were very close, she said. Nana lived to be 98 years old and was dating a gentleman right up until she passed away. Her gentleman friend died of a broken heart right before his 101st birthday because he missed my Nana so much. My son Peter brainstormed the Daze part; we thought it had a good vibe and was a cool play on words with Hazel. Hazel Daze is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. For more information call (203)292-9662 or check out the website at www.hazeldaze.com.
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