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Beadstore.com began in 1998 to serve beaders and collectors around the world. It is the online presence of S & A Beads, located at 6929 Laurel Avenue in Takoma Park Maryland.

Susan Hunter Silverman, the late founder of S & A Beads, began selling beads, jewelry-making parts, and gift items in the mid-1980s at open-air flea markets across the Washington area. She was a regular at Eastern Market on Capitol Hill and the Bethesda Farm Women's Market on Wisconsin Avenue. She took the business indoors in 1987 to a small store on Carroll Avenue in Takoma Park, and later to the shop's current home on Laurel Avenue. The "A" in S & A stands for Abraham, Mrs. Silverman's son, who has been an active participant in the business since its beginning. Abraham is a member of the Washington Bead Society and an expert on the antique African beads that make S & A Beads one of the most interesting bead stores anywhere.

Susan Silverman's eclectic taste for brilliant colors and diverse cultures was reflected in her jewelry design and in the items sold in her store. "The nice thing about bead stringing," she used to say, "is that you can get a beautiful result at the first attempt, unlike other crafts such as playing the violin." Her tradition of sharing her knowledge of beads and jewelry making is carried on today by the knowledgeable staff of S & A

Beads, each of whom is a teacher and designer in her own right. You can click here to see designs by Cheryl Moody, Zoe Stern, and Emily Silverman. If you are in the Metro DC area, click here to see our schedule of beading classes, or stop by the store for a consultation and have one of these talented women create a unique piece just for you.

A visit to S & A Beads is a trip to a mini-museum of craft and culture. Unlike a museum, however, you have the opportunity to take home an affordably-priced piece of history, or to create your own culture by crafting a piece of jewelry from our carefully selected array of antique beads, semi-precious stones, charms, and findings. In addition to beads, we carry a selection of unusual African and Asian textiles and craft pieces, as well as gifts and household pleasures such as soaps, scented candles and beautiful decorative accessories. Stop by and check us out. We're open seven days a week and are only minutes from the Capital Beltway, and just two blocks from the Takoma Metro Station on the Red Line. There is free parking behind the store.

S&A Beads has a particular specialty in antique “trade beads” from Africa. Beads were an important part of the currency used in trade between Africans and Europeans for many years. This trade started in the 1500's between Africa and Venice, Amsterdam, and Prague. Continuing up to the 1950's, S&A's stock of antique trade beads are mostly from the periods of 1880 to 1940—beads with great history and great beauty! A visit to S&A Beads is a trip to a mini-museum of craft and culture—unlike a museum, however, you have the opportunity to take home a piece of history at an affordable price.

Our antique trade bead inventory includes Venetian Millefiore and Fancy, Ethiopian prayer beads, and organic beads made from shell, stone, or coral. A perennial favorite, old Mali amber beads, are available in beautiful faceted varieties. Antique beads are available on their original strings—wear them as is or have them re-strung. Our extensive inventory of individual antique beads give you the opportunity to create your own design, and our bead classes can help you learn the proper techniques.

S&A Bead's inventory goes beyond beads to include African art, such as Kuba Cloth, beaded art pieces, and beaded accessories. We carry an extensive stock of charms of all kinds—celestial, alphabet, love, and much more. Yemen prayer boxes, prayer beads, and finished jewelry have been a beautiful addition to our inventory. Necklaces, earrings, and pendants from Africa, Asia, Venice, and the Middle East, are available in an impressive variety.

Susan Hunter Silverman loved beads and jewelry—her legacy lives on through the offerings of S&A Beads and Beadstore.com. Acquire a beautiful, interesting, piece of history at an affordable price—African trade beads, Mali amber, Yemen prayer beads—wear a piece of history!

Beadstore.com, the online presence of S&A Beads, specializes in beads and embellishments imported from around the world. Founded in 1987 by the late Susan Hunter Silverman, S&A Beads has been the premier supplier of beads in the Washington D.C. area for many years. Now under the helm of Abraham Silverman, Susan's son, S&A Beads has added their online site to better serve bead and jewelry lovers worldwide. Located at 6929 Laurel Avenue in Takoma Park, Maryland, the store is just two blocks from the Takoma Park station of the Washington D.C. Metro's Red Line. Free parking is available in the rear of the store.

S&A Beads has a particular specialty in antique “trade beads” from Africa. Beads were an important part of the currency used in trade between Africans and Europeans for many years. This trade started in the 1500's between Africa and Venice, Amsterdam, and Prague. Continuing up to the 1950's, S&A's stock of antique trade beads are mostly from the periods of 1880 to 1940—beads with great history and great beauty! A visit to S&A Beads is a trip to a mini-museum of craft and culture—unlike a museum, however, you have the opportunity to take home a piece of history at an affordable price.