It started with an Hermès scarf.
Wait, let’s back up.
It started with a meet cute.
Tara was a social worker, living in Rockland County, when she and her cousin went to Killington for New Year’s Eve. They couldn’t get into the bar they wanted—so they went to one across the street. Scott, who was living in Yorktown at the time, was also in Killington. And he couldn’t get into that bar either. “Scott and I met and spent the whole night talking. We’ve been inseparable ever since!” Tara says, smiling.
Tara and Scott Mikolay opened their second jewelry store in Ridgefield this past October (their flagship store is in Chappaqua). Not only does Tara design jewelry, she designed the entire space. And Scott, with frequent trips across the street, worked to bring her vision to life. “Pam at the Ridgefield Hardware Store is pretty much my best friend,” he jokes.
Stepping into the stunning space, all of their effort is apparent. And the inspiration behind the whole look? An Hermès scarf. “I always take an Hermès scarf that feels inspirational to me, then I build the space around it,” Tara tells us. “This one has an equestrian vibe,” she says, pointing to the framed scarf that hangs just inside the shop’s door. “I pass so many horse farms on my way to Ridgefield every day. So that felt fitting.”
The breathtaking space sparkles, and not simply because of what’s inside the jewelry cases (OK, not only because of that), starting with the flower installation in the front window, where dozens of hydrangea stems hang suspended from the ceiling. The walls are painted the perfect shade of blue, Vermont Slate (an homage to where Tara’s family is from and, of course, where her and Scott first met). A lovely shell-inspired chandelier hangs in the back of the store. Local shop Colby’s custom-designed the rear window treatments. The majority of the jewelry cases are white, and they pop against the blue walls, giving the store a warm, fresh vibe.
But the showstopper is the pastoral scene, which Tara sourced from an artist in England. “It looks like a hand-painted mural, but it’s actually wallpaper,” Tara says. “It took me months to find the right scene! It feels like Ridgefield.”
Then, of course, there is the jewelry. Desires by Mikolay has it all: fashion collections with price points starting at $35, gorgeous leather-bound books, writing instruments, watches, leather bags, wallets, and show-stopping, jaw-dropping diamonds—with a few more zeros than the aforementioned price point.
Tara and Scott both design their own lines of jewelry too. Tara’s line has more of a spiritual vibe to it, with evil eyes and hearts. “Symbols that are edgy and cool, but very wearable. Everyday diamonds,” Tara tells us. Scott’s collection is more Old English style, inspired by the Renaissance. “To me, that was jewelry,” he says. It’s beautifully intricate, with lots of filigree work.
It’s hard to imagine this beautiful store—with its married duo of multitalented designers—almost didn’t happen. Remember? Tara was a social worker. And Scott’s dad didn’t want him to join the family’s bench jewelry business. But, he was a very persistent (and persuasive) 14-year-old, and ended up working with his father until his retirement in 2004. By that time, Scott and Tara were dating. He told her he wanted to open a repair business. Tara, who recognized his innate talent for design, urged him to instead open a full-service jewelry store.
“I told Scott I would leave my job for a year to help him open up a store. Then I would go back to social work," Tara reminisces. They opened in Chappaqua 20 years ago, and if you didn’t already guess, Tara never looked back.
Scott is the yin to Tara’s yang. “Opening the Ridgefield store was very different from the first time we did this. Over the years, we’ve grown together and grown more similar. So this time, we had the same shared vision,” Tara says.
Something the Ridgefield location shares with Chappaqua, though, is the Mikolays' desire to give back to the community. “It’s really important for us to support local and give back. For years we’ve participated in Shop for a Cause events,” Tara tells us. And they are looking forward to partnering and participating in various charitable programs in Ridgefield.
Stop by to do some holiday shopping, add to your own wish list, or get your rings cleaned. “We are not a stuffy jewelry store, we’re very approachable. We always want people to feel comfortable popping in to get their jewelry cleaned, we want to be of service to the community,” Tara adds.
The Ridgefield community is lucky to have this gem on Main Street.
“It looks like a hand-painted mural, but it’s actually wallpaper. It took me months to find! It feels like Ridgefield.”
“We are not a stuffy jewelry store, we’re very approachable. We always want people to feel comfortable popping in to get their jewelry cleaned, we want to be of service to the community,”