Langley, the “Village by the Sea”, has several unique businesses. One of these gems is Foamy Wader, offering handmade jewelry with nautical inspiration made from eco-friendly recycled precious metals.
Alexa Allamano originally made jewelry as a creative pastime but soon discovered it was something she was truly passionate about. She first established the Foamy Wader business online in 2008 before opening a physical storefront in 2014 in Seattle.
Alexa and her husband had regularly visited family on the island since 2004. The couple decided to make the move to Whidbey in 2016. While deciding if island life suited them, she commuted to her Seattle store for a year. After becoming pregnant with the couple’s only child in 2017 she opted to simplify and relocate the business to the island.
Alexa notes “I love the sense of community on Whidbey. When we opened here, I was impressed with how many of the local business owners came over to welcome me.”
Alexa originally worked out of a site in Langley from 2017 to 2020 but chose to close the store due to the uncertainty of retail early in the pandemic. She continued to operate her business online-only before re-establishing it in a tiny space within Langley Village in late 2020. She created an innovative outdoor “window shopping” concept to maximize the petite 180 sq.ft. space, allowing browsers to view items in the windows and order through her website by scanning a QR code.
With her business growing she began searching for an additional facility to expand operations in 2022. The result was a larger waterside storefront, the business’ third move within Langley. The current location for Foamy Wader is in Langley at 206 – 1st Street. Alexa says she feels this current place is like a dream.
The showroom carries a range of inclusive sizes in rings, bangles, and cuffs, and delivers while-you-wait length customization for necklace chains. To support her sustainability goals, she also offers jewelry repair services at very reasonable rates. She currently has three part-time employees and still offers “window shopping” out of her Langley Village office space.
Foamy Wader is also the best place on Whidbey for permanent jewelry. Staff fit stylish chains around your wrist, ankle, or neck and then weld the chain closed for continuous wear. Chains are lightweight enough to be cut off if ever needed, and the business offers re-welding service for free. They’ve ‘zapped’ nearly 600 people since 2023.
Foamy Wader has been featured in Inc., Business Insider, Entrepreneur, Seattle Times, and other publications. The store is open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. every day. The business won the “BEST Jewelry on Whidbey Island” award for 2025. For a look at the jewelry available at Foamy Wader, visit the website: https://foamywader.com/.
