sidewalk success.

Earrings by Lisa Clarke, $10.

By any measure, Lisa Clarke is a New York success. At 45 years of age, she recently bought herself an apartment in Brooklyn. And a new car. A third-generation Barbadian, she takes an annual vacation to Barbados. So what has helped her obtain what many can only aspire toward?

A successful street vendor, Lisa Clarke sells jewelry on Fifth Avenue and 18th Street.

Clarke’s road to street vending was a long one. Brought up in Queens, she received her undergraduate degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology. She then spent years working retail for companies like Ann Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy’s. She designed her own jewelry on the side – delicate Afro-centric pieces made from hammered or stenciled brass.

When a project for QVC fell through, Clarke suddenly found herself out of work. To supplement her welfare check, she started selling her jewelry on a SoHo sidewalk. City law guarantees veterans vending licenses, so she brought her veteran brother with her, as it was impossible for her to obtain one of the 853 general vending licenses on her own.

While business was busy, Clarke often found herself harassed by police. Perched on the narrow sidewalk, she received multiple tickets for failing to keep her table the legal distance away from storefronts. Finding SoHo overregulated and overcrowded with competitors, Clarke moved her table to the Flatiron District.

That was five years ago, and she is still there today. Her regular clients are the district’s young working women, drawn to her self-described “funky, yet classic” pieces, which cost anything from $10 to $50.

For Clarke, the Internet is the next frontier. She hopes to find a larger market for her jewelry, while giving her regular customers easy access to new designs. She is also looking into renting a space from a small boutique. “I’ve made my success,” she said, “Now I just want to take myself to the next level.”