Daisy’s Styles brings fashion to Canastota

Canastota businesswoman Daisy Ojeda is hosting a ribbon-cutting event this Saturday at 10 a.m. to announce the formal opening of her clothing store, Daisy’s Styles, 131 Peterboro St., Canastota.

The ribbon cutting will celebrate Ojeda’s commitment to providing quality clothing and also her commitment to building the Canastota community.

“I experienced hard times growing up,” Ojeda said. “I was bullied and I didn’t have the best clothes. I want to do my part and see that no one else has to experience that.”

Ojeda is offering clothes shipped wholesale from her native California to her store. Brands include Macy’s, Nordstrom and Forever 21. Store hours are 10 a.m. — 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. — 6 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. — 4 p.m. Sundays. The store is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

“I had a store on Marguerite Drive for five months, and it did well but the space was too small,” Ojeda said. “If we had more than three people in there I’d have to ask someone to leave.”

Ojeda found the new location with the help of real estate agent Rick Myers. She has been in the Peterboro Street location for nearly a month. “Rick was so good to me, helping me find this spot at a reasonable price,” she said.

Ojeda moved to Canastota in 2021 with her now ex-husband and their children, Jaylyn, 7 and Maximus, 5.

“We came here to be with my ex-husband’s father, who was dying,” she said. “We split up, but we ended up staying because we loved it here. People warned us we wouldn’t like it because of the weather and because we were too used to bigger towns like they have in California. But the people here are so nice and welcoming.”

Ojeda and her ex-husband share custody of their children, and while she has no other im

mediate family in Canastota she is content living among her neighbors.

“I am a loner anyway, but I have my children and my customers,” she said. “And people like Deputy Mayor Doug Gustin and his wife Christina. They’ve been a tremendous help.”

Ojeda said her love of community, and Canastota in particular, have helped her beat her struggles with lupus and depression.

“You want to replace negative thoughts with positive ones,” she said. “And be with good people. I had a friend who texted me and said she had a boyfriend problem and she was going to start drinking. I told her to not let anyone have that power over her, and that I was five minutes away. We could talk about her problems instead of her messing up her rehabilitation.”

Ojeda also credits her faith in God for helping her navigate dark times. “I want to tell anyone going through a hard time that it won’t last, and you will get through it. God has always been there for me and helped me. Not long ago doctors thought I was having kidney and liver problems. It turns out I was pregnant with Maximus and his presence had changed my body chemistry. Always trust God in hard times when you don’t understand.”

Ojeda’s faith and love of people have helped her set the ultimate goal of owning her business.

“I want to be an example to Jaylyn and Maximus,” she said. “To show them to never give up on your dreams, and that if you work hard enough at something that you will succeed.”