Barrett Balzer 
Every month, we feature a handful of the Northern Virginia neighbors who make living here fun and interesting. This month, all of our Locals are inspired by their own communities and experiences, which is why their businesses and services are truly from the heart. From a cat-only veterinarian to a local boutique owner, these women are all about their passions. Read on for more Northern Virginia Locals to Watch.
Lexie Badawy, founder of Golden Bond Jewelry | 731 Walker Road # F, Great Falls
Lexie Badawy is the founder of Golden Bond Jewelry, a modern, experimental jewelry brand in Northern Virginia specializing in custom-fit, permanent jewelry pieces. These pieces are welded on as bracelets, anklets, and necklaces made using materials like 14k gold, and sterling silver.
Lexie’s vision is to turn jewelry into a deep, personal connection. She describes it as a “golden bond”, which unites people from all backgrounds. It is her belief that jewelry symbolizes relationships, shared moments, and identity. She focuses on creating a warm, collaborative environment where the customers are just as involved in the process as the buyers. In addition to the store’s Great Falls location, Golden Bond pops up at several local events and festivals. And, in Summer 2026, there will be a second location in Tysons Corner Center.
Mintyce Ealey of MuVe | 2050 Ballenger Avenue, Suite B, Alexandria
Photo credit: Te’ Johnson
Mintyce Ealey is an Arlington native. She is a Pilates instructor at MuVe Studio. Mintyce has been teaching for two years with private classes. Since then, she has begun teaching group sessions, developing a love for Pilates from online home classes, specifically, the transformation it gave her. “I was able to transform my body and just really fell in love with the strength that I have myself,” she said.
MuVe studio is located in Old Town Alexandria, near the King Street Metro Station, creating an energy that Mintyce loves. In addition to teaching mat Pilates, she will be teaching restorative yoga at the new studio. Mintyce says it is different from other classes because she brings the energy. “People walk in the room, and they feel my energy, and they think class is going to be easy, but lo and behold, I have you shaking and sweating,” Mintyce said.
Read more: Boulevard, a New Beach Club-Inspired Bar + Restaurant, Opens in Clarendon
Rachel Kim | Bellani Pets
Rachel with Belle (L) and Lani (R). Photo credit: @jayppp_
Rachel Kim is the founder of the Sterling-based Bellani Pet Treats. She launched the business in July 2023 after her software day job left her burned out. The inspiration for her was her two dogs and the many hours she spent looking at ingredients in the dog food. “I would spend hours on the back of it trying to read these ingredients and not understanding anything,” she said.
Rachel had always dreamed of being an entrepreneur, and with the many unfamiliar ingredients in the standard dog food sold at grocery stores, combined with her love for her dogs, the idea was simple: “Why don’t I make single-ingredient pet treats for them, because as a pet parent, this is something that I’m really passionate about.” Rachel said. Her treats began as banana, chicken breast, and beef liver, all created from her home with a dehydrator. Her first vendor appearance was in 2023, and now Bellani Pets is found at dozens of events around Northern Virginia and is sold online.
She now has 16 products for sale, including pet-friendly powders like pumpkin and freeze-dried bites. She takes inspiration from human food to make well-suited dog diets and cat diets.
Dr. Laura Mosoriak, owner of Kingstowne Cat Clinic | 5830 Kingstowne Towne Center #120, Alexandria
Dr. Laura Mosoriak is the owner of the women-owned Kingstowne Cat Clinic. Her goal is to help cats and their humans live long, happy lives together. Dr. Mosoriak has two human children, a cat, and a dog. She says she wants to “make sure we get folks to bring their cats in for routine health care. We take care of the sick ones too!”
Her favorite things about Northern Virginia are the mountains, wineries, beaches, cities, and countryside. She loves her neighborhood of Del Ray and is inspired by all of the local business owners in her community.
Sarah Randall, owner of Cherry Lane Boutique | 115 Church Street NW, Vienna
Sarah Randall is a Vienna local and is the owner of Cherry Lane Boutique, which opened in December 2024. The boutique sells a variety of things: decor, cards, gifts, novelty items, and gifts. It is a go-to spot for Vienna- and Oakton-themed things, especially around graduation time, as Sarah stocks many graduation gifts in local school colors.
The name Cherry Lane comes from her middle name Cherry, which has been a family name since her Grandmother. While Sarah was considering opening a shop, a friend of hers who already owned a boutique showed her the ropes. Sarah calls it “elevated shopping” when describing what people have said to her about the things she sells. She loves getting connected with other women-owned businesses. Reviews praise her business for its local presence, atmosphere, and gifts, including enewton bracelets.
See more: Celebrity Delly in Falls Church Celebrates 51 Years of Classic Deli Favorites
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