New Business Brings a Dose of South America to Hightstown

From homemade jewelry and handbags, to home décor and wall art, Something Unique brings a variety culture to downtown Hightstown.

“Hightstown needed something different,” said owner Cecilia Espinoza, who opened the store in mid-March.

Jewelry made from renewable items such as pumpkin and squash seeds, to orange peels and tagua – an ivory-like material that comes from a palm tree in Ecuador - occupies the shelves. The resources for the jewelry are treated, some dyed into other colors, and created into something new.

Espinoza was born in California and moved to Ecuador in the 80’s after she married her former husband. Since 1996 she moved back and forth between Ecuador, California and East Windsor – ultimately moving back to the area last year.

Before opening Something Unique, Espinoza was involved in an array of volunteer work, and received awards in both East Windsor and Ecuador for her service. 

Alpaca fur turned into wall art, handmade tea boxes filled with native tea and hand painted magnets can also be found in the craftsmanship store.

Upon request from community members, Espinoza also brought intimate apparel from Columbia, and jeans from both Columbia and Ecuador.

She hopes to make about two trips back to Ecuador each year to bring back more items, and explains that there is a slim chance of having duplicates – which is where the store name was derived from.

Prices range from her most expensive item – a $150 leather jacket – and down, and Espinoza said she tried to make it affordable.

Espinoza is bilingual and said she hopes to draw a variety of people in from the surrounding area.

“Its not just for Latin people,” Espinoza said.

She is also becoming a TransFast agent, which will allow people to send money and packages to other countries from the store.

Something Unique, located at 121 Mercer Street in Hightstown, is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.