Newsletter

THE LATEST FROM JOOLZ...
July 2007

Here it is – Volume #1 of the JOOLZ newsletter, to be written and distributed as the mood strikes the editor and certainly on an irregular basis. Welcome to all subscribers – may you enjoy the experience and may your legions grow….

Following two private parties for family and friends, JOOLZ opened to the public on May 9, 2007. The buzz has been building and becoming more and more widespread. We’ve had friends of friends of friends come into the store – thanks to all who are spreading the word.

The décor of the shop (black and white with punches of colorful abstract art) has been very well received, and thanks are due to several people who made it all happen: Danny Naples and Mike Cutri, of Cutri Construction in Canandaigua, who pulled it all together and made it look like the vision I had in my head; Scott Auberger in Churchville, who beautifully constructed all the floor cases and shadow boxes; landlord Renata Reber, who worked with me to improve the building before I moved in; and last but not least – my husband, Larry, who spent countless hours doing demo work, pounding nails, painting walls, constructing furniture, etc. etc. etc. What a great team!

But of course what you really want to hear about is the jewelry at JOOLZ. The response has been so good that we have had to reorder from several artists already, and have added a few new ones since opening in May.

Kerry Bogert, from Ontario, NY, is a favorite at JOOLZ. Her “Frozen Branches” necklace, made of frosted lampwork glass beads and sterling silver wire, was the first piece I sold, way back in January before the store was even open. I wore the necklace to a party and a friend decided that evening that she wanted it. When Sue paid me for the necklace, she wrote a check for the amount less $1.00, and enclosed a one dollar bill to make up the difference. That first dollar made by the company is now framed and on the wall!

Kerry came to one of the opening parties, and it was such fun for the other guests to meet one of the JOOLZ artists in person. Her work was featured in the window that evening, and it all sold quickly; Kerry’s work continues to fly out of the store. She somehow finds the time to create gorgeous glass beads while having an active family life that includes her husband, Ron, and three young children. Kerry exhibits at several arts festivals in Rochester, but her work can be found at JOOLZ year-round.

Jane Bohan and Anne Dick are two of our other bestsellers, artists whose works are at the opposite ends of the price spectrum. An award-winning artist from NYC, Jane designs in 18K gold and chooses vibrantly colored gemstones to include in many pieces of her feminine, classic jewelry. Currently (and this changes daily, so inventory may not be the same when you come in) we have simply gorgeous necklaces, earrings and bracelets by Jane that feature pink freshwater pearls, Tahitian and South Sea pearls, peridot, tanzanite, aquamarine and topaz.

Designing jewelry for over 40 years, California artist Anne Dick presents necklaces, neck collars, bracelets, pins and earrings made of bronze and sterling silver. Customers of all ages are buying her work for its interesting design, wearability and reasonable price point. It looks like gold but isn’t – you can wear it while traveling and not worry if it “disappears” from your hotel room. It’s also low-maintenance and will retain its finish, never needing a polishing cloth. Currently we have a good selection of Anne Dick jewelry, so come in soon to see it all. It goes fast, and we’ve already reordered from her once.

New to JOOLZ since opening are several artists, including Amy Pfaffman from San Francisco. Amy designs fun pieces using objects found in familiar places. Currently we have necklaces, earrings and bracelets that Amy has made using pieces of colored pencils, old wooden rulers and guitar picks. One necklace of Amy’s hadn’t even been on display for 24 hours before it found its new home.

Also new is the work of Jane Barthelemy from Portland, Oregon. A retired opera prima donna, Jane has established a second career designing glass jewelry that just knocks your socks off. She designs glass beads that she then has made by hand in Italy. The Venetian glass beads are returned to her studio where they are fashioned into colorful pieces that also incorporate Czech and Japanese glass, strung on sterling or gold-filled wire. The result is just magical.

That’s it for Volume #1. I hope you have enjoyed hearing about the progress of the business and a little about the more than 35 outstanding artists whose work can be found at JOOLZ. It’s been a labor of love to get the shop up and running, and it’s been very rewarding to see the enthusiastic response of our customers. Come and see for yourself!

All the best!
Francie Schenck