05/30/2026
Come to me with one cute and quirky chair and I’m a happy girl. Come to me with eight and I’m probably avoiding eye contact and pretending I speak a foreign language with no word for chairs. Unless, of course, you are Maria. Proprietor, ring mistress and benevolent queen of . Beloved by all. If you haven’t had the pleasure of engaging with this one-of-a-kind force of nature, you’ll have to take my word for it. Her kindness, talent, wisdom, grace, street smarts, generosity, resilience, infectious enthusiasm, goofy humor, loyalty, infinite positivity and charm make her a truly special human being. She’s an icon: part Wonder Woman, part Lucy Ricardo, part Carmela Soprano, part Mary Poppins, part Inigo Montoya, part Holly Golightly.
Four years ago during hurricane Ian, Maria and her husband Joe lost their home and most of their possessions to flooding. They have patiently and graciously waited to rebuild and are finally getting ready to move into their new home. I am so honored to be part of their happily ever after. These chairs are just the beginning.
