Jewelry Section

“When the display creates a story, when it makes a statement with all of the pieces together, then it’s much more appealing to the eye,” said Tolleson.

In Just/Because, a roughly 1,000-square-foot Sarasota, Fla. gift shop, owner Barbara Bria-Pugliese said Ethics Goods and Bold B are among the jewelry lines they’re constantly selling.

Ethic Goods makes stretch bracelets displaying a word–like ‘sister,’ ‘friendship,’ or ‘brave’–in Morse code. Part of the proceeds goes to the human trafficking survivors who crafted the bracelets. The bracelets are a consistent hit because, at $17.50, they are priced affordably, are for a good cause, can be stacked with other jewelry and appeal to all age groups.

Bold B is an Australia line of jewelry made from beach sand. “Unlike a lot of other nature jewelry, it’s very contemporary looking,” said Bria-Pugliese. “It’s a high polish finish, so it’s a fabulous look.” Every piece–whether an earring, necklaces or bracelet–is priced under $55 and named for bodies of water with names like ‘rockpool’, ‘chasm’ and ‘islet.’

Bria-Pugliese’s main demographic is 30 and up, with the average age landing at 50 to 60-years-old. To accommodate these age categories, she looks for three things: Pieces customers won’t see everywhere else, that are age appropriate and fit everyone’s style. As well: She strives to buy from smaller cottage industry jewelers.

“We also look at price points for our demographic,” said Bria-Pugliese.

Just/Because pulls in half a million in annual sales. They sell high-end jewelry, but also items that are easy to pick up at the register.

“We try to make it very easy for the customer to see the pieces, pick them up, touch them, feel them–to us,

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