If you think of any random object, there's a chance Roman Larsen has turned that into earrings.
If you think of any random object, there's a high chance Roman Larsen has already turned that into a pair of earrings.
With a wide variety of bizarre charms, including vacuum cleaners, sunshine toasts, thermometers, Christmas beanies, globe maps, candy vending machines and Dutch klompen, there really isn't a limit to what Roman can turn into a humorous fashion statement.
After a decade dreaming of opening his brick and mortar business, the 31-year-old was excited when, just a few weeks ago, the Oak Harbor Main Street Association offered him a storefront space at 881 Southeast Pioneer Way, which until a month ago was occupied by Wild Ophelia's.
Last spring, the association launched two business incubators, which can be rented for short periods of time to allow entrepreneurs to test their ideas before committing to a long-term lease.
Following a successful trial period, Wild Ophelia's was able to move to a long-term location at 749 Southeast Pioneer Way.
Now, it's Roman-Rocks Jewelry's turn to occupy Unit A along with Living Lens Photography, a small photography business run by Roman's mother Kim Larsen.
With little time to get everything ready by the grand opening on Nov. 1, Roman and Kim managed to set up the store in three days with the help of a little army of friends and family, moving photos, furniture and loads of Disney, animal, sports, cartoon and fantasy-themed jewelry.
Kim is excited to finally move Roman's factory out of her living room, where he has been making jewelry and accessories since he was a child. At the same time, she is proud of her son for embarking on this new adventure, despite the obstacles he has encountered along the way.
Kim adopted Roman from a Ukrainian orphanage, where he experienced abuse and linguistic neglect as a deaf child.
When he came to the U.S. at the age of four, Roman had to learn American Sign Language and overcome some challenges, including developmental disabilities, speech difficulties and cognitive delays resulting from not being taught how to communicate at a young age.
Still, he had a knack for creativity that began to shine at 10, when he began making jewelry for his grandparents. At the time, he said, his creations were much larger and heavier.
Over the years, Kim saw Roman's creativity and skills flourish, eventually leading to his hobby turning into a job.
Encouraged by the positive feedback, Roman began selling his creations at 15, setting up his own booth at a variety of local markets and events, getting more creative and expanding his collection from "just" 500 pairs of earrings to 5,000.
Today, Roman joyfully welcomes customers to his store, showing them around his many displays and processing payments. Though many of those who walk in may not know how to communicate in American Sign Language, Roman can interact with hearing people with the help of hearing aids and his mom, who sometimes acts as an interpreter.
Kathy Larsen is a big fan of her grandson's creations, proudly wearing a pair of rain cloud earrings on the day of the grand opening.
"He's learning, he's growing and he's spreading his love wherever he goes," she said.
Whenever she helps Roman run the booths, she ends up buying more earrings for herself. For people her age, anything that elicits a smile and a giggle is good, she said.
At Roman-Rocks, the most remarkable charms are perhaps in the food category, where visitors can find a pair of dangling rice cookers, blenders, wire whisks, shrimp, Kentucky Fried Chicken buckets, cheeseburgers, roast turkeys and more.
Roman also sells scarves, keychains, bracelets, necklaces, rings and brooches of various sizes, with elegant and moderate design options for those who might not be into novelty fashion, with prices ranging from $8 to $18.
All earrings are nickel-free and can be converted to necklaces, keychains and clip-ons for a small fee.
"What makes Roman rock is the fact that he has this huge variety," Kim said. "There's something for everyone."
Similarly to her son, Kim is working on overcoming her own hardships. Eight years ago, she was diagnosed with a neurological disorder and lost her ability to walk.
Many loved ones encouraged her to "get out and about" and not to let her condition discourage her. Photography, an activity she loved when she was a child, ended up bringing her back into the world as an adult.
From this rediscovery, Living Lens Photography was born.
"It just has encouraged me to be out in the world again, rather than sitting at home feeling sorry for myself," she said. "Who's got time for that?"
Now, she can walk really short distances, just enough to snap a photo of the mundane yet beautiful things around her, whether it be a mushroom on the side of the road, a blue moon, or a close-up of a spider web adorned with water droplets that look like beads.
"I want people to see the beauty of the world around us," she said.
Roman-Rocks Jewelry and Living Lens Photography are open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 1 to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
For more information, visit Roman-Rocks on Facebook.