Rhonda Berta and her daughter, Abbi were bitten by the bead bug years ago while vacationing with their family in West Palm Beach, FL. Abbi, (then 8 years old) noticed that a woman was wearing a very intricate and beautifully beaded necklace. This woman, pleased that her hand-beaded design was appreciated, was kind enough to take them to her favorite bead shop and the rest is history...
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We opened our doors on March 25, 2005 and within 1 week, held our first bead stringing class. Soon after opening, Rhonda's sister Hanna Bertulis joined the business. As the business began to grow, so did our love for fine yarns and fibers. We are pleased to offer over 150 classes, including basic bead stringing and knitting, original bead weaving designs, felting classes, wire sculpting, loom weaving, silversmithing, metal works, spinning, crochet, and peyote instruction. We are certified in precious metal clay, and schedule workshops by appointment. In 2012, The Bead Place took 2nd place for Favorite Bead Store Worldwide, by a Lark Craft reader's poll.! Although Rhonda and Hanna have both moved on from the business, they visit from time to time to help and create! We are lucky to have fabulous staff of talented employees and instructors and value their input and contributions immensely.
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We are located at 8 Plaza Drive in Fairview Heights, IL 62208 inside of the Marketplace Shopping Center between Dollar Tree and Jenny Craig. Look for Best Buy, Goodwill, or Burlington and you won't miss us!
Hours of operation:
Tuesday-Saturday: 1-5PM
or by appointment any time!
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meet the crew
 AbbiOwner, full-time store fixture, instructor, and oddball. She loves to work with wire, metals, and seed beads. She has taught at Interweave's Bead Fest, The BeadQ Jewelry Exploration, The Great Bead Extravaganza, on cruises, and at other craft events. Her work has been featured in/on the cover of numerous jewelry publications such as Easy Wire Magazine, Step by Step Wire Jewelry and Jewelry Stringing. She also has appeared as a guest on the PBS show, Beads Baubles & Jewels! |  BeckyShe is our online inventory manager, teaches Gel Printing and fiber arts classes, works in store, and does various "behind the scenes" tasks in helping run our small business. Becky enjoys all things beads and yarn, and lots of other creative hobbies as well. Becky is a creative rebel. We're continuously amazed at what she comes up with. Fun fact: Becky is an animal advocate and shelter volunteer. Meow! |  JenniThe originator of bead crochet with wire! Jenni is insanely creative and very well-known for it. She is very active in her community and her church. She is the key problem solver and solution creator and gets things done faster than humanly possible! We think she must be an angel... |
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 BeccaBecca has been creating and engineering beautiful designs with inventive spirit over ten years. Since working for The Bead Place, she can find just the right product for any application and always knows what we have where! |  RitaRita is our customer service and order fulfillment wizard! She's the fastest and most accurate bead counter this side of the Mississippi. She's also a very VERY accomplished bead weaver! |  Parker & AlexThey sometimes help too! Parker's drawings and jokes can often be found hidden around the store. Alex has appeared on many of our livestreams and YouTube videos over the years. He has helped with order processing and social media, as well as janitorial services and food delivery which we appreciate a lot! |
come & stay
 Radisson Hotel Fairview Heights - St. Louis319 Fountains Pkwy, Fairview Heights, IL 62208 (618) 622-9500 |  Comfort Suites137 Ludwig Dr, Fairview Heights, IL 62208 (618) 394-0202 |  Super 8 by Wyndham Fairview Heights/St. Louis45 Ludwig Dr, Fairview Heights, IL 62208 (618) 688-2526 |
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 The Maple Cottage AirbnbLess than 10 minutes / 3 miles away! (618) 444-0403 |  Country Inn & Suites by Radisson140 Ludwig Dr, Fairview Heights, IL 62208 (618) 213-8540 |  Drury Inn & Suites St. Louis Fairview Heights12 Ludwig Dr, Fairview Heights, IL 62208 (618) 398-8530 |
 Best Western St. Louis Fairview Heights150 Ludwig Dr, Fairview Heights, IL 62208 (618) 397-3275 (Previously Hampton Inn) |  Holiday Inn St. Louis-Fairview Heights, an IHG Hotel313 Salem Pl, Fairview Heights, IL 62208 (618) 212-1300 |  Econo Lodge Inn & Suites305 Salem Pl, Fairview Heights, IL 62208 (618) 624-3636 |