Coin Collection

When the highly anticipated “Sex and the City: The Movie” comes out this spring, the actors will be wearing jewelry from the Agas & Tamar store in NoLIta. The jewelry brand, which landed in America just six months ago, has won fans among celebrities, such as actress Debra Messing and designer Donna Karan. But just last year, the entrepreneur behind the store, Eli Halili, 28, was working from a wooden bench across the street. There, he spent several months taking notes on the comings and goings of patrons of the shops along Mott Street. That street, which reminded him of his hometown of Bet Uziel, near Tel Aviv, was where he was determined to open his own shop — despite the lack of vacancies. After several months of watching and waiting, he noticed a handbag boutique that wasn’t attracting much traffic; he called the landlord, who confirmed that a space would soon be available.