Eunie Cho left her remote commercial real estate attorney job for a different 80-hour work week. Her new day job has a bit more sparkle and shine, and she gets to rely on her creativity.

“It’s not tiring. I’m really glad I made the leap,” she said.

Cho is the owner of Iggy North, a jewelry company that provides customizable, ready-to-wear, permanent, and custom fine jewelry. The store opened in part of the former Poppy & Stella storefront, a popular retail go-to in Fells Point, which closed after nearly 15 years in December 2023.

The name of the store, Cho’s first-ever business, pays homage to Iceland, her favorite country. Iceland is known as the “land of fire and ice” because its volcanoes and glacial terrains. “Iggy” is short for “ignus,” which means fire in Latin.

The new store, which opened in November, is a bit “experimental,” Cho said, but “the potential is limitless” when it comes to creating and designing jewelry. Cho designs the jewelry and sends it off to a manufacturer to assemble. Iggy North’s walls are filled with classic stud earrings, hoops, nautical necklaces and more in gold, silver and rose gold.

Many of the designs provide an “everyday minimalist” aesthetic, Cho said. The store’s layout is designed to not only show off unique products but provides workstations for patrons to customize jewelry as well.

The store will also host special events like bridal showers, birthday parties and other private gatherings.

Cho is still building out parts of the business, including the website and an Instagram presence, but she enjoys the hustle and discovering new ways to promote the store. One day she could be networking with a Pilates studio or helping a customer design an engagement ring.

“I really like hearing the stories behind the jewelry. … Jewelry is so personal,” she said.

There’s plenty of trial and error, though. The signature bracelets she thought would be some of the first pieces to sell off the shelves didn’t. Then, the marquis earrings she almost discontinued turned out to be a bestseller. Cho said she’s not afraid of taking risks, because throughout her childhood in Minnesota she “always felt safe to fail” thanks to her loving and supportive family.

She also learned about entrepreneurship from her father who emigrated from South Korea. He worked at an engineering company in the U.S. for 20 years before starting his own engineering company and eventually selling it. His professional journey was very much an example of seizing the American dream, Cho said.

Cho’s also taking note of what people are asking for when they come into the store, which is why she introduced permanent jewelry.

The small welding machine at the end of the store’s workstations applies a quick zap to a bracelet or anklet and sets it in place without the need for a clasp. There’s a rabbit-hole’s worth of videos about permanent jewelry on TikTok. Iggy North is one of the very few places that provides the service in the city.

Cho is currently the only employee at the store, which is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. If all goes well with Iggy North, she’d like to have multiple stores or eventually get a bigger space. For now, she’s enjoying a storefront that’s close to the water and a community that’s supportive of small businesses.

Derek Yi and his fiancée were happy to stumble upon Iggy North during their soft opening while walking around Fells Point. They enjoyed the flexibility, being able to customize jewelry or pick from the designs. Yi said his fiancée left with a pair of earrings she made and is considering using the store for a bridal gathering before their wedding in March. He hopes Iggy North succeeds and benefits from the Fells Point foot traffic.

“We really like the fact that it’s a small, minority-owned and woman-owned business,” he said. “We really like to support small businesses instead of going to Amazon or something.”

Come January, the other half of the former Poppy & Stella space will be filled by LAMESA, a clothing line and retailer with items imported from Lima, Peru. Owner Luis Medina has a store location at the Inner Harbor and until recently had another one in the 800 block of South Broadway. He said the area is a great place for a storefront because he tends to “get a lot of local customers and also tourists.” He’s also not opposed to some friendly competition.

All that glitters is not gold when it comes to starting a new business, but Cho is looking forward to staying the course and figuring it out.

“I know that I like being busy and I want to build something I could be proud of,” Cho said.