Ella Rose Shop, a handcrafted jewelry business based in Stanislaus County, has been voted the region’s best home-based business. The shop received 6,535 out of 12,580 total votes in a recent poll. Flourish Bread Co. came in second with 4,391 votes.
Jessica Hamilton, who nominated Ella Rose Shop, wrote: “The shop is ‘one of a kind, just like the business owner.’ High-quality products at a reasonable price. And the owner, Erika, goes above and beyond for her customers.”
Erika Pena founded Ella Rose Shop in 2020 after her position with the county school system’s Project YES program was eliminated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pena said she began by making bracelets and expanded her skills over time to include gold-plated jewelry.
“Everything is handcrafted, hand-picked by me,” Pena said. “I would say my biggest trend right now, for the past three years, has been the charm bar.” The charm bar allows customers to select their own charms for bracelets or necklaces and have them assembled on site.
Pena explained that she named her business after her daughter: “I used to work for a clothing store, and there was this girl named Ella (who worked there also). She was the sweetest girl ever. And I was like, ‘If I ever have a little girl, that’s gonna be her name, Ella.’”
Pena holds a seller’s permit from the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. This permit enables her to attend jewelry shows and purchase wholesale items from vendors across California.
Her jewelry is made using gold-plated stainless steel with e-coating and is nickel-free. “It does last the longest,” she said.
Ella Rose Shop operates as a home-based business; Pena sells primarily at markets or through Instagram (@ellaroseshop_). While she organizes the Riverbank Tuesday Market, she does not sell her jewelry there but participates in other local events such as DoMo First Fridays and Oakdale Morning Market once per month during its season. Her products are also available year-round at Little Red Door thrift-ique in Turlock.
