DIY Retail

After a decade where many art jewelry galleries shuttered as owners retired and online sales took off, new ones are popping up around the country, manned by a new generation of makers. Hilary Halstead began to notice a trend a couple years ago while reviewing business plans from jewelry designers applying for the Halstead Grant. Many emerging designers were exploring direct retail — via the web, as you’d expect, but also the old-fashioned, live-and-in-person way.

“A lot more jewelers are looking to set up their own shops,” Halstead told me. “Not necessarily traditional boutiques, perhaps more of a mixed-production space, retail space, and even learning space.”

It’s all part of an ongoing experiment to fill the void left by the wholesale model studio jewelers once relied on for sales. “Wholesale shows can’t deliver the experience prior