If you had told me in my 20s that I would own a jewelry store, I would have never believed you. I spent my 20s working on Wall Street, working my way up the corporate ladder—hunger for money, corporate connections, and working 80 hours a week. Something was missing…. I needed change. Once, I was able to raise 1.5 million in venture capital funding.

 

Wait…. That doesn't seem right. Maybe I was actually working at Moose and Sadies as a dishwasher... Yeah, that's right.  (Side note - a place and two owners that taught me the importance of leading a team with kindness, hard work, and community. )

 

Did I think I would ever own a jewelry store? Honestly, NO. But it wasn't a random profession. Lowell Lundeen jewelry has been around since 1968. My grandfather was a jeweler and started a small store on the University of MN campus. Showcasing handmade jewelry from around the States. Truly a hidden little gem. The store stayed SMALL, even when moving downtown and when my mom took it over in 2001-2020. If you had ever been there, it was maybe 150sqf.  A place where if you worked downtown you could pop in at lunch, support local jewelers, a place where my mom would say, “Your partner doesn't want that, they told me to tell you to buy this”, and a place that used a carbon copy credit card machine until they were forced to stop in 2015.- look it up

 

My intention is to keep it small, keep it a little gem, and keep it a BIT less hidden.  Personally, my idea of a jewelry store is not bright white everything, sparkles and sterile. Now, I'm not saying that is wrong, but it is NOT me. I know that you can have a high-end fine jewelry experience that feels fun, lighthearted, and meaningful in not the “typical” jewelry store setting. I know that being kind, thoughtful, and not a typical business type is ok. just ask - Noihsaf Bazaar , rivendell bikes , zingerman's , patagonia

I'm not saying that any of these businesses are perfect, but they trust in being themselves.  That is my intention, not to be perfect, just be me.

Talk soon, 

Nick 

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