Noon paper and jewelry boutique is located in the funky, charming, and original Southern California surfing hood of O.B. (Ocean Beach to non-natives.) The store is owned by best friends and college roommates Maie Webb and Nora Alexander. These two talented young women met while studying at the
prestigious Rhode Island School of Design, and have recently made O.B. their new home and the home of their original designs.
For years, Webb and Alexander knew they wanted to collaborate on a project—they never imagined it would result in a storefront.
Webb is the graphic designer and paper genius. Her images of flowers and her signature hummingbirds in bright colors can be seen on invitations and business cards. She manufactures her paper goodies using a 19th century letter press she found online.
She says she wouldn’t work any other way. Webb uses only watercolor paper, which adds a weight and depth to the quality of the finished product that’s quite unique to her stationary.
Though the store is small, the use of space is genius. Jewelry hangs on an exposed brick wall, and ceramic bowls made free-form by Webb’s sister to look like huge abalone shells, hold rings, bracelets and necklaces. Webb’s creativity with paper can be seen on the walls and in every tag—one entire wall is decorated with Webb’s amazing origami cranes and gift boxes.
Webb’s paper is delicate, feminine and whimsical. But what looks effortless actually takes a lot of time to create.
“It may cost a bit more for handmade invites, but brides love to come in and be part of the process,” says Webb.
Her unique invitations caught the eye of Modern Bride, which featured her line in a 2008 story.
The jewelry is designed by Alexander. And like Webb’s paper, it’s made the old fashioned way—by hand, from start to finish. In order to keep the jewelry affordable, everything is produced in either silver or gold-filled.
The “bling” factor is added with freshwater pearls, abalone, walnut wood or Alexander’s signature use of Swarovski crystals. She says that, as a kid, she saw women wearing them, (Swarovski crystals are manufactured in her home town of Cranston, Rhode Island), but it wasn’t until she became an adult that she began to recognize and respect the beauty of the simple but elegant cut glass. The actress, Meg Ryan, was recently photographed wearing Noon’s olivine Swarovski crystal earrings.
Noon is a little store with a green door located two blocks from the beach. Customers strolling along will find it difficult to pass by…or to leave empty-handed.
