Colville resident Jennifer Mitchell first got into the jewelry business selling pearls on the shores of Hawaii. “What’s better than sitting on the beach, selling jewelry, and watching the dolphins play or the whales go by?” said Mitchell. “I just had a knack for it, for the selling and customer service, and something just clicked.” Mitchell worked for the Pearl Factory on Maui for a few years, then managed Fred Meyer Jewelers in Kirkland and Bellevue when she lived in the Seattle area. She later moved back to Colville, where she was born and raised, and she spent eight years with Colville Jewelers, said Mitchell. “It was a great experience, and I loved working (at Colville Jewelers.) I still work with the goldsmith, and Andy and Ida (Zayemopoulas), I think the world of them,” said Mitchell of Colville Jewelers, which is expected to close soon with the owners’ retirement. Located at 525 S. Main, in unit 7, Jennifer’s Jewelers opened April 21. The business is owned and operated by Mitchell, who is its sole employee – along with the goldsmith, Andrew Kumor, she said. All pieces at the store are consignment while Mitchell builds up her inventory. “I will be getting in bridal pieces, diamond studs, hopefully some Black Hills gold stuff, maybe some birthstone stuff,” said Mitchell. “Anything else, I can order and have within a week or so, as long as it’s not being custom made.” The business mostly focuses on jewelry repairs, including working on watch bands and batteries, she said. Pricing for repairs varies. “There’s not really a set in stone pricing system when it comes to jewelry because you never really know what’s wrong, but we do all jewelry repairs,” she said. Starting her business, Mitchell said she has been working to make sure her “little building is secure and safe” to store other people’s jewelry. “It’s been a lot of work. My savings has dwindled,” she said with a laugh. “It’s not been easy. I don’t have a lot and I just have dug up and worked really hard to make it work. “If I didn’t have the experience that I do and the people in my life that were able to teach me, I probably wouldn’t be able to do it,” she said. “I’m pretty good when it comes to repairs.” Mitchell enjoys seeing customers’ expressions when they find that special piece of jewelry. “I love seeing people’s faces when they get that certain piece for their engagement, or honeymoon, or anniversary, or Mother’s Day, or whatever it is, or those young kids that come in that are just starting out,” she stated. “They can find that perfect piece that they can actually afford and that they love.” Jennifer’s Jewelers is open Tuesdays through Fridays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., sometimes closed for lunch from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. It is also open on Saturdays by appointment.
