Tactile Fun and Friendships at The Bead Garden

Sometimes in the middle of the day you just need to bead, and buy, yourself a piece of jewelry.

The Bead Garden, which has been at 2122 Darby Road in Havertown for nearly 10 years, hosts everyone from summer camp students to women who pop in for a chat and to make a bracelet.

Owner Leslie Mangine offers a number of classes, corporate and off-site events and parties for children and adults.

Mangine, a former technical recruiter, is co-founder of the Main Line Bead Society. She is constantly bringing in new products and ideas for customers.

The Bead Garden sells everything from wire, leather and silk cord to all the "findings" you'll need to assemble a piece of jewelry.

Susan McIntyre, owner of Fit for a Dog in Ardmore, occasionally stops in to chat with Mangine and make jewelry, which "clears my head," she said. "They're so creative in there," she said of Mangine and her staff.

The Bead Garden can also be found on Facebook.