Fire Opal

This super cute little shop is a great addition to JP. Having not lived in Boston for about 10 years, whenever I go back to my old haunts, I am excited to check out what has changed. Fire Opal is exactly what I would expect to find in JP. While there, I perused the (kind of pricey) wares and clothing. All of which were unique and cute. I ended up settling on a cute little purse that was different from any other I had ever seen. Back in Lake Tahoe, I get a lot of compliments on it.

i happened to see a beautiful stained glass dragonfly window pendant hanging in the store front. i was excited to purchase it for my mom who’s been real down lately (even at the over priced $ 28).
i proceeded into the store and i was met with an extremely brass and confrontational «we aren’t open yet!» wow! totally uncalled for as your store’s door is open (?!) i politely replied, «ok. what time do you open?». the woman behind the counter responded in a sing-​song sarcastic voice.“we op-​en at e-​le-​ven”. looking down at my celll phone it was 10:40am.
maybe you should keep your door locked. don’t worry, i will NOT be back!

Plenty of unique handcrafted gifts– lots of jewelry, pottery, some household items… all for a pretty penny. I’ve always hated stores that put up signs like «You break it, you buy it!» and such– on one hand, I get it– you have a lot of nice stuff and don’t want some asshole to come in and break it, on the other– I find it so off-​putting that I don’t want to buy anything from you. Fire Opal does not have that sign up, but regardless, that is the feel that you get (or at least I get) when I’m there. There is a very small card section with about three signs saying «Seriously, they are all blank. Do not open cards.» They also accost you at the door to put down your coffee. So, in a nutshell– three stars because they have some really nice stuff (though pricey), but because I find the vibe in the store so snooty I can’t give them any more than that.

Fire Opal is a shop that carries handcrafted, high-​quality artisanal pieces across many interrelated disciplines, including jewelry, textiles, pottery, stationery, and glasswork. One of the reasons I love the JP store so much is because it reminds me of several stores I favor in Northampton (Pinch, Artisan Gallery, and even Don Muller). In fact, one of their featured jewelers hails from Northampton; she works in enamel and silver.
The shop is always inviting, and the staff are low-​key and friendly — even other customers are friendly. I love the work of talented artisans who bring passion to accessories for the home and body, and because of their selection, Fire Opal is a very good fit for me. They sell things that I have never seen anywhere else, and because I go out of my way to shop where small-​studio goods are sold, this is a big deal. I am currently lusting after a velvet-​lined copper box with a lid that has a gap between the glass and copper layers… and in that gap, glittery seed beads. Most recently, I had to restrain myself bodily from buying a set of repurposed doorplate/​doorknob/​key assemblages that made a really awesome décor piece when grouped together (I have enough wall art at the moment). The next items I buy there will be a small, thick square gold wood picture frame made from oversized gallery frame scraps, a scarf that changes from orange to pink in the light, and a necklace from a specific artisan (I am very particular, and I’ve been on the hunt for some time now for just the right piece).
Speaking of buying by artisan, the owner groups nearly everything by creator, and when I ask about a certain stone or pattern, he seems to know everything about the pieces in his collection. Steve is very patient, as well as thorough, and the customer service I have received at Fire Opal has been second to none. He’s tracked down several items for me that were virtually impossible to find, and his recommendations have been spot-​on. He has identified and secured customization options for me (different chain lengths, alternate metals) that have impressed me in speed and quality.
This is one of my favorite places in Jamaica Plain. Fire Opal’s offerings are great, but it’s the staff and service that make it exceptional.

This store is very similar to the Harvard Street location, except this one is perhaps a little larger. They have a very similar selection of jewelry, home décor items and some clothes. I’ve never really enjoyed the style of most things in either store, but keep this place in mind if you’re shopping for unique gifts.

I LOVE this store. I drop in once in a while to browse around without really needing anything, and adore all of the unique and beautiful things that have come home with me.
The owner is not the outgoing type, but has always been very willing to help when asked.

love love love this store. Yes it is pricey but if you look you can find some amazing deals. I go in about once a month and usually find the best little something. I adore the staff. Two years ago when I was looking for my engagement ring my partner and I went into the Brookline store and met the owner. She was the so helpful and absolutely wonderful spent a great deal of time with us and individually. I strongly recommend them as a business and as a small local business that showcases unique art to wear and to exhibit. Kudos! To small independently owned places that make JP a great place to live.
In addition– I purchased my Christmas gifts there this year and they were awesome. Steve at the JP store is a wonderful person who made this Christmas easy!

When I need to buy a gift I try to stop at Fire Opal before going anywhere else. Sure, it’s not cheap, but it’s handmade really nice quality stuff and I can usually find something in there that suits my needs and is a good deal. In response to a couple of the other reviewers, I have to say I’ve had several conversations with the man I’m presuming is the owner and he’s been nothing but nice to me. It’s too bad others have had different experiences though. I’m docking one star for the fact that they don’t carry much in the way of local artists and to me, ideally a local place like this should carry local artisan’s goods, but that’s just my 2 cents…

pricey –yes
my style overall –no
good for gifts? — yes
local artisans — yes
«made in china» labels a-​plenty? — no
service-​very, very good! thanks!
(just going through the pros and cons)

I have not dealt with mr. precious but, the woman in the Brookline store is very cordial and seems inclined to great customer service. I was carrying around something that i was going to buy and she asked if she could wrap it; it was unclear whether she wanted to get a jump on wrapping or make sure I didn’t steal it but, in any event. she was pleasantabout it. This store is expensive by Boston standards, but the work is unique and it’s beautiful. Jewelry and pottery by talented artisans is usually pricey, and hopefully sturdy; for the most part you should be able to tell when a delicate piece is built to self-​destruct. Some of the clothing and the jewely is prohibitively expensive for most (me); which makes me want it, bad…

I fell in love with a hand-​painted pepper grinder here. It’s just that kind of place.
It’s pricey, but they are selling high quality, unique items that make great gifts or splurges. They have gorgeous handmade jewelry here, as well as interesting clocks and mirrors, and tons of beautiful mobiles hanging elegantly from the ceiling. I guess you could say it’s the kind of place where you don’t really need anything, but it sure makes you wish you had unlimited funds and a new fabulous apartment to decorate!
I hope someday someone shops for me here. ;-)

I’d always thought the store looked cool. I’d always wanted to find a funky pair of earrings for my mom, and that I did. However, on the way to the register, I discovered that they have a no return policy. They WILL NOT give you your money back. I contemplated my purchases (a pair of earrings for my mom and another for myself) for a minute and decided to go with it. Well, the very first day I tried on my earrings, they fell apart. I appreciate that many of their jewelry is handmade but the store should be willing to stand behind its products.
The owner (who glared at me for daring to question the policy when I bought the earrings) guilt tripped me when I came in to return the earrings about how the artist was «a person,» as if I’m trying to steal food out of her babies’ mouths or something. He reluctantly told me he’d let me return the earrings and tried pawning off overpriced ugly necklaces on me instead When it came down to it, even though their jewelry can and might break immediately, they might switch it, they might try to fix it, but they will not give you your money back. Just store credit. At this point, my choices are to not use the credit (due to not wanting to deal with that guy again) or buy something else that’ll probably be more expensive (and reward them for such bad customer service).

I lived next door to Fire Opal for a number of years and regardless I never bought anything. I always stopped outside to browse and wonder and went in occasionally too if I was not in a hurry.
Two observations:
I liked some of the pottery, much of it I thought was soft colors and modern and impractical. The stuff I liked was either overpriced or again impractical.
Second: Why so much friggin women’s earrings and jewelry? Lots of dangling stones. Lesbian Heaven!
Its a small store. I like the local artist and independent business appeal however, I guess it was not appealing enough to me.

Fire Opal is certainly a needed thing in a place like Boston where «craft» tends toward pottery and Bed Bath and Beyond means «design.» Hooray to Fire Opal for representing independent designer/​makers in clothing, jewelry, metals — many of whom are local. That said, these stores are highly overpriced and the owner is very rude to the point of being a disservice to the artists represented. «Mr. Opal» should try to remember the pieces are precious, not him.

Great stores (there’s one on Harvard St. in Brookline too) with fabulous jewelry, fascinating bags, interesting textiles, and all sorts of home décor that makes me want to redecorate every time I go in.
I bought a necklace in December that, sadly, broke in May. It is my favorite necklace, I wear it almost every day. The owners have been wonderful and are doing all that they can to ensure that the artist fixes it to my specifications (we had one mishap where she fixed it, and it looked totally different). This is the kind of stellar customer service that I expect from a merchant.

A beautiful store/​gallery filled with unique eye catching things. Each artist has a different twist and flair which all combine to make this place a truly eye opening experience. Great ceramics, wall hangings, funky mirrors, frames, furniture, clothing accessories and spectacular jewelry. Although I appreciate everything as a piece of art, and treasure charming JP places like this, everything was EXTREMELY pricey, way way more then I had anticipated. Regardless, I’d still recommend checking them out even if only for inspirational purposes.

An art store, kind of, in that it sells art, but it’s certainly not a gallery. Fire Opal has pottery, jewelry, wall art, mirrors, clocks, and some amazing sculpture set around a spacious and gorgeous store. Items range from a few to a few hundred dollars, and most things, in addition to being visually spectacular, are made by local artists.