Jan 13, 2011

Seaside shops inspire haven for gift-giversBy Pam GeorgeDelawareOnline.com

Avid sailors Marie and Steve Swyka often dock in quaint waterside towns with unusual boutiques. The eclectic wares did more than make Marie Swyka want to pull out her wallet. It also made her want to open her own funky shop.

“I wanted to create a haven for women — and men — where they could step away from their lives and be surrounded by fun stuff,” she said.

Last September, she made her dream come true with the opening of Basia Gifts on Foulk Road in Brandywine Hundred. The shop on Jan. 27, from 6 to 8 p.m., will host a trunk show featuring OMG Beads, handmade beaded jewelry by Susan Salman, and Spoiled Girl Jewelry by Jane Taylor.

It’s hard to miss Basia. The building — located next to her husband’s business, Steve Swyka Auto Specialist, and a medical office — is painted royal purple. “I wanted something that looked a little Cape May-ish or St. Michael’s-ish,” she said of the distinctive color. “I didn’t want a strip center with bright lights.” Basia, Polish for “Barbara,” is named for Swyka’s best friend, Basia Fad, an avid shopper and gift-giver.

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