By Tara Mikolay | Chappaqua, NY & Ridgefield, CT
When Scott and I opened Desires by Mikolay, we were 25 years old and newly in love — with each other and with the wild, terrifying idea that we could build something of our own.
We did it on a wing and a prayer. There is no other way to describe it.
Those first three years were everything you'd expect and nothing you could fully prepare for. The long days. The uncertainty. The moments of doubt that crept in quietly and had to be pushed back out just as quietly. We were young, we were determined, and we were held up — more than we probably said out loud at the time — by the unwavering support of our mothers.
They believed in us when believing took effort. They showed up, they encouraged, they never once made us feel like we had taken on too much. They were, in the truest sense, part of the foundation.
Around the three year mark, something shifted. The store found its footing. The community found us. And Scott and I looked at each other and felt — for the first time with real certainty — we made it.
We knew immediately who deserved to be thanked.
That Mother's Day, for the first time, we didn't bring flowers.
We brought diamond hoop earrings. Beautiful ones. The kind of gift that felt significant — because it was. It was our way of saying thank you in a language that would last. Not just for that year, not just for the support during those early struggling days, but for everything they had poured into us long before we ever opened a single jewelry case.
They cried. Both of them.
Over two decades later those earrings are still among their most beloved pieces. Still worn. Still cherished. Still carrying the weight of that moment — the one where two kids who opened a store on a prayer finally got to say thank you the way they always wanted to.
That is what fine jewelry does. It holds the story. Long after the flowers have faded and the cards have been tucked away, the jewelry remains. On her finger, in her ears, around her wrist — a physical reminder of a moment that mattered.
In the years since, we have had the privilege of being part of countless Mother's Day moments for our clients.
We know what it looks like when someone walks in with a mission — a partner who wants to get it absolutely right, a child who has saved up for something meaningful, a woman who has decided this year she is treating herself and she means it.
We know what it looks like when the navy blue box comes out. When it's placed on the counter, tied with ribbon, slid across to someone who has no idea what's inside. We have watched faces change in an instant. We have watched tears — the good kind — happen right here in our store.
It never gets old. Not after twenty years. Not ever.
That is the culture we keep at Desires by Mikolay. Not just selling jewelry — creating the moment around it. Making sure that when she opens that box, everything about the experience feels as beautiful as what's inside.
From now through May 9th, 2026, we are offering 10% off storewide — because we believe every mom deserves something beautiful, and we want to make it just a little easier to say thank you in a way that lasts.
Some exclusions apply, and our team is happy to help you find the perfect piece within any budget. Whether you're looking for classic diamond hoops — yes, just like the ones that made two moms cry twenty years ago — or something entirely her own, we are here to help you get it exactly right.
Come in. Let us wrap it in that navy blue box. Let us be part of your moment.
Chappaqua, NY — 55 King Street Ridgefield, CT — 394 Main Street (914) 238-2223 | Tuesday through Saturday
To every mom who shaped someone worth celebrating — this one's for you.
— Tara
Desires by Mikolay is a family-owned fine jewelry boutique specializing in designer collections, custom engagement rings, and expert jewelry services. Heritage craftsmanship meets modern design — since 2004.
