A native New Yorker-turned-Texan learns to slow down on Race Street.
Cecilia Navarro is used to living life at a fast pace. A native New Yorker raised in the Bronx, she first cut her teeth as a court reporter, transcribing trials and even working in the infamous Rikers Island.
But she craved a slower life, so she moved to Texas, settling in Dallas first before migrating west to Fort Worth.
Starting her own business, however, was never part of the plan. The opportunity seemingly fell onto her lap after she made a dreamcatcher for her daughter. The finished piece caught the attention of folks wanting to order her work, so she started an Etsy store and began selling at pop-ups around DFW.
It wasn’t until she found herself at the Acoustic Solstice event on Race Street that she began toying around with the idea of setting up shop in the burgeoning district.
“I was able to take a step back and think to myself, ‘I know that I’m not ready to do something like this, but in a street that’s also growing, there’s a chance that I could,’” she says. “My intuition was right.”
She opened Creatively Beaut Goods on Race Street at the most inconvenient time — March 2020 — closing in the same month she opened, thanks to COVID-19. But her customers came through, still making purchases and ordering custom pieces, which allowed her to reopen in a new space on the ground floor of The Union at River East apartment complex.
She’s stayed open since, selling handmade macramé and jewelry alongside boho-inspired goods by fellow artisans. She also shares the space with Amy Garcia of Ohm Made Creations, who carries a good stock of essential oils and crystals that fit right in with Navarro’s aesthetic.
Looking back, Navarro says she doesn’t regret leaving New York. She’s loved being a part of Race Street, living the slower-paced life she had so long desired, even though she’s still getting used to it.
“I’m still working on slowing down,” she says, “but it’s what I love. I can’t believe how much of the fast-paced lifestyle is engraved in me. I’m just breaking down those layers and learning from my neighbors in Fort Worth to let things flow, be more calm, and take things day by day. It’s my favorite thing about Fort Worth.”
