thank you and goodbye

What a ride this has been.

In 2006, as I was entering my second year of being president of a women's club in Rochester, I told myself I wanted to take what I had learned as the club treasurer and president and turn it into a business I could own and run myself.  This blog has chronicled that process and the resulting business, JOOLZ, was like a fourth child for me.  I incubated it, birthed it, sent it out into the world and watched it succeed. 

The time has come, however, to put it to bed.  Since 2006 we have added another grandson to the first one, born in 2005, and a third grandchild is expected this summer.  We are still healthy and relatively mobile, and want to travel as much as possible while we can do so comfortably. We want to have the flexibility to pick up and go at the drop of a hat.  We don't want to put off to tomorrow what we can do today.

With all that in mind, I have closed my business completely, even shutting down the online store.  The corporation will be dissolved in the upcoming months and I will turn in my Sales Tax Certificate to the powers that be in Albany.  I'll be done, but the wonderful memories of customers who became friends, artists who became friends and drop-dead, gorgeous joolz will be with me forever.

Thanks to you all for being with me along the way.  It's been a treat to have had you at my side.

And now I will finish writing this blog (it'll stay online, because I want to be able to thumb through it whenever I want), and I have started writing a new blog, Brownies for Breakfast, that will chronicle our life, our travels and all the things I especially love.  If you're interested, I invite you to hop on over there and keep on riding with me.  And have a brownie, if you like.

fun colors - fun joolz

We are delighted to welcome Jennifer Lenel to our lineup of artists.  Now living in Washington State, Jennifer has been making jewelry for some time.  When we first learned of her work, she was using sterling silver.  Now she's switched to working with anodized aluminum,, in all its many colors.

Take a look at her Paula necklace:

Don't the colors just sing?

And put them  together with her Naomi earrings, and you're ready for a party:

Have fun shopping!



the JOOLZ collection is online

Finally, I am  happy to announce that The JOOLZ Collection is up and running and available for online shopping.

I honestly thought I would have this up in the late spring, but life and commitments used up so much of my time that there was little left over.  However, since returning from our trip, I have been working long hours behind the scenes to get the online store back up. 

You'll note a new name:  The JOOLZ Collection.  To put up the massive inventory we carried in the Main Street store would take years, not months, so I have chosen fewer pieces to sell in the online store.  It's now a "collection"  - culled from  the larger inventory.

Plans are to list more pieces as time allows and to introduce work by artists new to JOOLZ, too.  I'm always open to suggestions, so if you know of an artist you think would be a good fit, please contact me.

Enjoy the shopping experience, and please note that shipping charges for Canandaigua/Rochester area customers will be refunded - a small thank you for being a loyal customer.

Have fun!

fun new pieces from susan nickles

I've been hard at work today, taking photos and then editing them  for the online store.  I just haven't gotten that far yet....nothing's up on the store but it is waiting in the wings. 

Here are a few of the images from today's shoot:

Sterling silver and tumbled blue glass from a Sapphire Gin bottle

Sterling silver and tumbled "beach" glass from a wine bottle

Sterling silver 2-1 chain necklace with a 1"

domed/pounded disc and a toggle closure, 19"

Sterling silver rings with a drop pearl and lobster claw clasp, 20"

Sue makes each sterling ring and embellishment herself - great technique and a transitional (and very wearable) aesthetic.  Call me if you want to grab any of these before they go up on the online store.







a new journey begins

Today was it - the very last day. We went over to the store this evening and I ran the vacuum for the last time, put the brass cover on the floor outlet and said goodbye with a tear in my eye. The rooms are empty, the sconces and pendants have been taken down and the phone and alarm have been disconnected. You'd never know how great it looked unless you had a picture like this:

Having the business has been a wonderful, exciting adventure for me. And as I keep telling myself, I haven't closed the business, I've just closed the store. The adventure will continue, just in a different setting. You'll find a new store, an online store, on our website in the spring. Come along with us on that new journey...and remember the good times on Main Street.

closing the store but not closing the business

It's been an interesting couple of weeks since the announcement of my retirement and the closing of the store. Most everyone has been supportive, and other grandmothers have been 100% behind me. I've heard things like "you'll never get this time back with the grandchildren;" "I would do exactly the same thing if I were in your situation;" "carpe diem;" and my favorite, "you GO girl!" While friends and customers alike are on my side about this, some are also downright sad that the store will no longer be a presence on Main Street. And that's when I explain that I'm closing the store, but I'm not closing the business.

Many ask why I'm not selling the business, so that it could stay on Main Street and continue to be a magnet for those who love handcrafted jewelry. I try to explain that it wouldn't be the same if someone else owned it -- different taste, different choices in artists, different customer service. And honestly, I'm not done with it just yet. I want to continue to seek out interesting work and build relationships with artists across the country. I even want to continue doing the books! I just don't want to do that with the responsibility of managing a brick and mortar store, unable to travel to see family, friends and the world, whenever we want.

So instead JOOLZ, the Main Street store, will morph into The JOOLZ Collection, an online shopping experience where you'll find familiar JOOLZ artists and some new ones, too. Same design decision-maker, same excellent customer service, same wide range of prices and styles. You'll be able to find new treasures and I'll be able to live a new life that allows us more travel freedom. It'll be a win-win.

JOOLZ online store is now open

HUGE NEWS! The JOOLZ online store is now open!

You may remember that we had an online store several years ago. The store disappeared when the server company bailed in the middle of the night without notifying its hosting customers, and all their data was lost. It had taken us (my web guy and me) hours and hours to put it up in the first place...and then it was gone. Neither one of us had the time or the energy to go through that process again, so it sat empty and closed.

Several weeks ago I made it a priority to get the store up and running again. I've measured pieces of inventory, taken pics and written descriptions. And while we have many hundreds of pieces in our Main Street store inventory, there is no way we can include them all online. We've started out with 40+ joolz and invite you to take a look. Hopefully, you'll like what you see, and if you're not able to come to the store in person, shopping online is the next best thing.

Have fun and let me know what you think.