Women Shaping Downtown Arlington: Goldilinks Jewelry, Kung Fu Tea, Mosaic Market

March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate the women whose leadership and creativity help shape our communities. This is part two of a two-part series highlighting women-owned businesses that contribute to the character of Downtown Arlington.

Three of those businesses — Goldilinks Jewelry, Kung Fu Tea and Mosaic Market — each tell a different story, but all share a common thread: women turning personal passions into places that bring the community together.

Goldilinks Jewelry: A Mother–Daughter Team Celebrating Life’s Milestones

At Goldilinks Jewelry, co-owners Alisha Zachary and Sara O’Lague have built a business that centers on shared experiences and meaningful moments.

The idea for the studio began in 2021 when Zachary first learned about permanent jewelry through her eyelash technician.

“I’ve always loved making jewelry as a hobby and had dreamed about opening some kind of boutique one day,” she said. “So, when I heard about permanent jewelry, the idea immediately caught my attention.”

At the time, Zachary was working as a corporate accountant and began building Goldilinks on weekends while still working full-time. Her daughter O’Lague joined in during the early stages, and the pair quickly realized the concept allowed them to combine creativity with entrepreneurship.

Their journey has included difficult moments, including a burglary at their previous Fort Worth studio — a setback that forced them to reassess their next steps. Ultimately, the support they received from customers and their community helped them continue.

“That support gave us the push we needed to rebuild and keep going,” Zachary said.

Today, the Front Street studio has become a place where people celebrate milestones, especially relationships between mothers and daughters. During their first Mother’s Day weekend, waves of pairs came in to get matching bracelets, a moment Zachary still remembers vividly.

“Hearing their stories and watching those moments happen in our studio was really special,” she said.

For Zachary, entrepreneurship is also about setting an example for her own children.

“I want them to see that it’s possible to take an idea, work hard and build something meaningful from it,” she said.

“Starting a business can feel scary and uncertain, but if it is something you truly want to do, it is worth giving yourself the chance to try.”

Kung Fu Tea: Creating a Space Where Students and Friends Can Connect

For owner Ayla Hernandez, opening Kung Fu Tea was rooted in family memories and a desire to create something similar for others in Arlington.

“Growing up, my family and I would often visit boba shops, so it was always something we enjoyed together,” Hernandez said. “When we first walked into a Kung Fu Tea in Dallas, we immediately connected with the atmosphere — we loved the vibe and the energy of the space.”

Later, while attending the University of Texas at Arlington, Hernandez realized something was missing close to campus: a welcoming boba shop where students could study, relax and spend time with friends.

That realization, paired with her family’s connection to the brand, led to a simple but powerful decision: “Let’s do this.”

Launching the business, however, came with unexpected challenges. The shop was in the middle of planning its buildout when the COVID-19 pandemic brought construction to a halt.

“Construction was delayed, and we ended up losing a lot of money, which made things really stressful,” Hernandez said. “There were definitely moments where we weren’t sure if we were ever going to be able to open.”

Despite the uncertainty, she and her team kept moving forward step by step. Their persistence paid off when the shop was finally able to open its doors.

Today, some of Hernandez’s most meaningful moments come during events hosted in the space.

“Seeing all kinds of people come in, connect and just enjoy being in the space reminds me exactly why I started this,” she said.

She hopes Kung Fu Tea continues to be known as a place where people gather — whether to study, celebrate or simply enjoy time together.

Mosaic Market: A Lifelong Friendship Turned Creative Collective

Just a short walk away, Mosaic Market tells a story of decades-long friendship transformed into a shared business venture.

Co-owners Melina Madolora Wikoff and Derith Armbruster first began dreaming about opening a boutique together during years of shopping trips, where they were consistently drawn to stores filled with unique, handcrafted and whimsical items.

“We would find ourselves saying, ‘We could make something like this,’ or imagining how we might do it differently,” Wikoff said.

That dream took a more concrete shape during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both women were working in healthcare during an especially stressful time when an opportunity arose to rent a small vendor booth inside a Fort Worth mercantile.

“As healthcare workers living through such a heavy time, that little booth became a creative escape,” Wikoff said.

Even when the booth barely covered its rent some months, the experience confirmed their passion for creating, sourcing and curating meaningful items. Eventually, they decided to take a larger leap by purchasing and renovating a downtown Arlington storefront.

The process was far from simple. Renovations stretched close to a year as they navigated permitting challenges, difficulty securing contractors and an unexpected asbestos discovery that required the building to be taken down to its cinderblocks.

While costly and stressful, the setback allowed them to intentionally design a space that reflected their vision. Mosaic Market officially opened in March 2024, becoming a collective space for local artists and makers.

The strength of the business, they say, comes from their friendship. Having known each other since they were 10 years old, they describe themselves as “marathon friends."

“We like to say there are different kinds of friends — 5K friends, 10K friends and marathon friends,” Wikoff said. “Marathon friends are the ones who stay with you for the long journey. That’s what we are.”

For women considering entrepreneurship, Melina and Derith encourage taking the leap even when the timing feels uncertain.

“If you wait for the perfect moment, it may never come.”

They also recommend taking advantage of resources like the Small Business Administration and local chambers of commerce.

“You don’t have to do it alone.”

Most importantly, they encourage people not to let fear stop them from pursuing their ideas.

Today, they hope Mosaic Market leaves one simple but meaningful legacy in downtown: “Joy. Hard stop.”

A Growing Network of Women Entrepreneurs

While each of these businesses is unique, Hernandez, Wikoff, Armbruster, Zachary and O’Lague share a common experience: building something from the ground up while navigating uncertainty, risk and responsibility.

They also share a belief in the collaborative spirit of Downtown Arlington. Rather than feeling competitive, many women business owners describe the district as supportive, uplifting, and a place where entrepreneurs celebrate each other’s successes and help one another grow.

During Women's History Month, their stories highlight the many ways women are shaping the future of Downtown Arlington- not just through the businesses they build, but through the communities and memories they create inside them.