Page 17 - Wallingford Magazine Issue 52 Winter 2025

When she said it was mination to succeed in busi-
67 years old, I gasped! ness. Let’s begin from the
It looked as if it was beginning.
completed yester- He attended Clark Universi-
day. Safely put away, ty in Worcester MA. He ma-
safely displayed in her jored in Psych and minored
Mother-in-law’s home, in Philosophy. His dad owned
safely warming her fam- a woman’s clothing store in
ily in winter, it endured Meriden, Beloffs clothing for larg-
for 67 years! That in it- er sized women. Even though he
self is amazing. It will helped out his dad, he needed
eventually be given to additional work. He became a
her grandchildren and buyer during this time for oth-
who knows, perhaps er stores, went to NY clothing
will have another life- districts to pick up their orders skills. Creating pieces large and small,
long storied journey as which were then brought back so beautifully crafted he lovingly has a
well. to CT businesses. His desire variety displayed in his home today. In
was to get additional training later years, needing a tool to assist with
She met her husband on in this ever fast paced busi- his work, he engineered an idea that
a blind date at a then most ness. He approached Abraham & would assist in sanding his artwork. Per-
popular street fair in Morris Cove in Strauss in Brooklyn to apply and was haps you recognize the name, The Sand
New Haven. She raised four children accepted into their training program. Devil. This tool became very useful in
over 19 years then He was 19 years old. the woodworking market and is still on
had the desire to
return to work. She
acquired a job as sec- In the town of Meriden, In-
retary for Eli Whitney ternational Silver Co was an
Tech H.S. and then enormous workplace for the
retired after working town. When they moved out,
for the DMV. the shops and businesses in
town suffered greatly. They
Living now at Ashlar, had over 2,000 women work-
it was not an easy ing there! So his father had
task at first as Covid to think of ways to bring the
had hit the stage women back into his store.
around the same He came up with an idea to
time she moved in. have one of his employees
Getting to know her plug nickels into all the park-
neighbors was diffi- ing meters, not letting them the market today.
cult. Everyone had expire. Many customers
to be diligent to keep wouldn’t park in this area or Wanting to create something so unique,
their distance as patronize his shop because he discovered during his time in the
the next door was just down the hall. they were ticketed by the town for studio how to make wooden bowties.
Masonicare had a service that was a running over the metered time limit. Wooden? Yes. For two reasons. First,
Godsend. Food was either prepared or Desperate times meant desperate mea- he found that bowties were not so
bagged and placed at residents’ doors. sures, but you have to admit this was a easy to find in stores and second, one
No shopping or transportation was very clever idea. It worked, for a while. day as he was chiseling out a piece of
available unless of an emergency. She is Then came the mall a year later. It very large wood when he saw a pat-
now so very glad; she loves her space housed many, many stores which again tern that looked like a bowtie. Voila!
and out-door patio with lovely trees also hurt this small specialty shop. The idea was born. Still skeptical, go to
and floral. Waiting for Spring, you will Eventually the mall owners approached www.woodbowties.com Each bowtie is
see her enjoying playing a rousing game them, asked if Beloffs would like to sculpted from choice, select wood ei-
of Bocce! Her many Afghans crocheted move in. This was not a sound decision ther solid or pieced into interesting de-
over the years have now been wrapped so Marv’s dad decided to close up shop. signs. No two are alike. They are carved
as gifts, donated to her church and giv- to suggest folded and tightly pulled fab-
en away to family. But this wonderful Woodworking became Marv’s pas- ric. The finish is natural. The object is to
warm wrap will continue to give her sion at the age of 25. He had a friend fool the casual observer. Selling for over
memories of the love and joy she gave who was a sculptor in Meriden who 20 years around the world!
creating this piece each time she lays it had a large space in an old brick ware-
across for her and Kitty. house to accommodate his many piec- He has a saying he still lives by.
es. With mallet and chisel in hand, his
So, rounding out our happy little group, friend gave him the direction and skills “Passion, Persistence and Repetition”
is Marv Beloff. In his youth he was a he needed to become a grand artist The three things you need in life to get
very ambitious young man with deter- in this genre. Over time he honed his it right.

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