Is beading on a decline or not?

Is beading on a decline or not? Just yesterday someone told me of a local beading concern that closed.

I guess it all depends from which angle you are looking at the beading hobby. I believe that beading is here to stay. Once a beader, always a beader. The satisfaction that comes from making your own creations gives you loads of joy.

I hunted around for some indication on the internet if bead shops are indeed in trouble. This is what I found.

Lolly wrote this

My LBS is in the process of being sold, hopefully. The owner sorta gave up on it when she started having some minor health problems. BUT, I recently visited some shops in New Orleans and Baton Rouge where I shop once in awhile. Two of the shops are not as busy as they were a year ago and have down-sized the beading part. Both shops have put in a line of other things that interest women,,i.e. handbags, soaps, candles, etc. One of the shops is pushing bead embroidery big time and has classes all the time. One of the shops even down-sized the amount of space it use to rent in the mini mall. SO, it may be that the jewelry business boom of several years ago is on the down-side. However, remember, "what goes around,comes around". It may leave for awhile but it will arise again. I think that the people who are well entrenched in the business will survive. Others might not be so fortunate. We'll see.

This gives me food for thought and at Silver Hills we have found that people need better quality. The discerning buyer do not mind paying for quality. Rare and aesthetic beads usually carries a higher price tag because they retain their "investment" value and will be passed down as inheritance jewellery from one generation to the next. My daughter is already eyeing my wifes jewellery. Most of the jewellery she designed herself from Silver Hills Gems stock.

John Madsen wrote this

It wouldn't be all that unusual for an industry to change its' point-of-sale model as it matures - look at the music industry, the mortgage industry, the video film ibndustry, etc. What I think a lot of beadstores did not do was figure out what their customers were actually buying - discretionary spending almost always buys something other than merchandise - people are buying some kind of experience - when you don't provide it, your merchandise becomes a commodity, and price rules - plus, I think a lot of the store managers who've been around a few years are getting bored by dealing with "newbies" - and it shows - lots of sucky attitudes in stores - john

We make a point of listening to our clients and we keep on buying the fast sellers again and again. The new stock that is on its way will prove this again. Many of our clients have been buying from us from the first day we opened and they are still with us. We have even lowered our prices now.

Theresa J wrote this

In June, one of my favorite bead stores in San Francisco went out of business. Beadissimo was not only a great little bead shop, in a great location, but also offered amazing classes plus free monthly open studio nights where you could go and use all of their fabulous metalsmithing tools. They also hosted trunk shows, brunches with themes, and swap nights - my personal favorite as you would show up with items you wanted to trade or swap with others. I found it a great way to "get rid of" items I was no longer inspired to use -- those destash items -- and trade for some really amazing items that I would most definitely find a use for. They had only been in business for 5-1/2 years, but had become quite the spot in the local beading and jewelry making community. I was distressed not only because of the loss of one of my favorite shops, but also because of the bigger picture. This kind of business was the perfect model for what I had been incubating in my brain for years as the type of business I personally wanted to own some day -- sort of my dream. It's closing left me feeling that my dream was a pipe dream.Then, to add fuel to the fire, at the end of July, I got another email informing me that The Bead Shop in Palo Alto on University Avenue was also closing. Again, a great little bead shop with location, location, location, great classes, etc. and it was closing after 26 years! This is the message they sent out: "After 26 years of passionately serving the beading community, The Bead Shop is closing at the end of August. The decision to close did not come easily. Vendors have chosen to go directly to beaders and many beaders enjoy the selection and pricing online and at gem shows. It's understandable; the marketplace is changing. Maintaining a full-service bead store in the midst of this shift has become impossible for us. " Then they listed their final sales and last classes, but in closing, stated, "Please be well and support the other bead stores on the peninsula and east bay."While I am an avid online shopper as well as a huge gem show fan and shopper, I still frequent all of the local bead shops in my area, as well as usually add them to my list of things to check out when I'm traveling to other areas, both for shopping and for classes/workshops/etc. I think we all need to remember to support our local, small, independent brick and mortar businesses. It would truly be a shame if they go the way of the dinosaur!



At Silver Hills we import all our items straight from the factories and because of our selections we will not likely go the same route as the guys above. I have considered opening more branches but then it will mean employing more staff and working so much harder. At the moment we are still experiencing growth. We have found ways to be more competitive. We are now giving a 10% reward voucher for all customers who purchase a combined total of R2500. I have also dropped my wholesale price with a further 10%. That is a price swing of 20%. That is what I call great value. I ask you to compare our new prices. But our strength lies in the quality of our beads. We select only the best. I can also buy cheap discounted items and sell these at bargain basement prices but this will be the beginning of the end of our shop. Once people realize that the quality at Silver Hills is no longer up to standard they will stop buying from us. You might have good sales for a season when you sell cheap items but when the item is made it will look cheap. We sell quality at affordable prices. This is our philosophy. We stick by it. It works for us.

I often lament that I do not have the same supply base as the bigger American suppliers. We do not have acces to many of the brand names. But let me tell you something. You can make jewellery with any material. There is not just one way. Be creative. We live in Africa. Use the material that you find here.

Phone us at 012 2531396 or 012 2531846 for more details.