Sharing her love for beading with the Sarasota community, business owner Kirsten Boyer has turned a long-held artistic passion into a full-time job. Previously a high school teacher for years, Kirsten blazed a new career path in 2017, purchasing Bead Abode, a local hub for beading supplies and jewelry-making classes. Today, Kirsten educates a new crowd: from sessions on off-loom weaving to simple stringing, Bead Abode offers something for beaders of all skill levels.

 

Kirsten’s life keeps her busy — she and her husband, attorney Andrew Boyer, have three children at home. How does she juggle it all? Kirsten credits her “huge family base in Sarasota.” With her father living at home, her in-laws next door and both her sisters just two miles away, Kirsten enjoys a close-knit relationship with her loved ones. “That allows me to do a lot more than I’d be able to do if I didn’t have family,” Kirsten said.

 

 

Q:What inspired you or led to your current career?

A: I started out as an electrical engineer, then I went into education. While I was working at Riverview, this store was closing, and so we called the owner and inquired why, and he just couldn’t find a manager, so we thought, “Why not try it out?” That’s why we’re here. It’s just an opportunity that came up. If you don’t try it, you never know.

 

Q:What is your favorite restaurant in Sarasota County, and what do you love there?

A: Probably Hooters, I love their wings! Everybody tells me Hooters doesn’t have the best wings, but every time I was pregnant, I could eat there every day.

 

Q:What is your favorite thing or something unique about Sarasota County?

A: Of course, the beaches. I don’t get out there very often. It still makes it kind of like a vacation to go out there.

 

Q:How long have you lived or worked in Sarasota County?

A: I moved to Sarasota with my family when I was in fourth grade, about 28 years ago. I went to Tampa for school [USF].

 

Q:Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in Sarasota County? Who would you like to see nominated as a Face of Sarasota County?

A: I have to say my husband. He does a lot of pro bono work. He’s really good with people, and he does a lot of fighting for the elderly.

 

Q:(Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?

A: Most people don’t know I run. I don’t have a lot of time with three kids and a business. It’s nice to get out and have that time for myself.

 

Q:If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?

A: Japan — I want to see the culture there. It’s way different than ours. A lot of the really nice beads come from Japan… the seed beads.

 

Q:What’s your favorite movie OR what was the first movie you remember seeing in a theatre?
A: How to Train Your Dragon; I teared up at the end! I haven’t seen much other than kids’ movies for the past 11 years, since I have children.

 

Q:What advice would you give a crowd of people?

A: Stay healthy, watch what you eat.

 

Q:What is something on your bucket list?

A: I like to run, so probably run in different countries. [I’ve been running] on and off for 11 years.

 

Q:What current / former local business makes you the most nostalgic about Sarasota County?

A: I really miss Main St. Bookstore. I used to go there at least once a week with my dad, and we would just look around. He’d love to sit and read the books. For hours, we’d just run around and look at books and different things.

 

Q:What is your favorite music / 3 bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?

A: Imagine Dragons is my favorite band. I’d like to see Led Zeppelin.

 

Q:Choosing anyone alive and a non-relative: with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? Where in Sarasota County would you have lunch?

A: There’s a bead artist in town, Ellen Solomons. She goes to Bead & Button, [the largest consumer bead show in the world], a big thing for beaders up in Milwaukee. She goes and teaches there; she goes and teaches at a couple stores around town.

 

Q:Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?

A: The same place; I’m comfortable right now. I like my job. Right now, we’re trying to expand our inventory, our classes.

 

Q:What 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?

A: Humid, hot, bugs.