By Donna Schuld
Correspondent
GREEN BAY – Over the next few months, Jo Brinkley-Chaudoir, proprietor of N.E.W. Beads & Jewelry in east Green Bay, will be packing up millions of beads to make the trek to the shop’s new location at 2069 Central Court in the London Alley shopping center.
As she busily prepares for the move, Brinkley-Chaudoir reflects on the principles that helped her get up and running nearly four years ago.
“I would say you better know your business inside and out,” she said. “I knew the bead stuff going in, and that helped me a lot, because then I could concentrate on all the paperwork from the state and the Department of Workforce Development, and payroll and learning how to do inventory. I had no business background whatsoever, so it was all a shock to me.”
Paperwork aside, Brinkley-Chaudoir said having a connection to customers helps make it all worthwhile.
“They’re very loyal customers, I’ll give them that,” she said. “They kept coming back. The people who come in here are very lovely people.”
At the time, she said Green Bay did not have any stores that focused on beads and supplies for jewelry–making, and business has done well.
“It’s been a good investment for us,” Brinkley-Chaudoir said. “It’s taking off. I have at least doubled my business since I’ve been here, almost tripled.”
COVID-19 pandemic
It’s that persistence and attention to customers’ needs that Brinkley-Chaudoir said helped N.E.W. Beads survive the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We closed down during March of 2020,” Brinkley-Chaudoir said. “I came in and rearranged items. Then we opened virtually. We allowed people to do virtual shopping through FaceTime. We scrambled to get an online store going… We did everything we could to stay in business. We actually did very well during COVID.”
She said N.E.W. Beads & Jewelry has a strong following from Native American people.
Brinkley-Chaudoir said beads have been called the earliest form of art, and native people use them in the creation of traditional regalia, the clothing an Indigenous dancer wears during traditional dances.
“There are 10 tribes in the state of Wisconsin, and I’m the only person that sells Native American products,” she said.
Brinkley-Chaudoir said N.E.W. Beads & Jewelry has a wide bead selection from all over the world.
If store doesn’t have the beads or supplies customers are looking for, she said N.E.W. Beads will order them.
The N.E.W. Beads team also provides jewelry repair.
How-to classes
Classes have resumed at the store this year after a brief hiatus during the pandemic.
Brinkley-Chaudoir said one of the most popular classes involves wire wrapping for pendants.
“We offer whatever you want to do,” she said. “If you bring in a picture, we will find out how to make it. If I can’t teach it, I’ll find somebody who can. We always do our classes when it’s convenient for (customers). We don’t have set times or dates.”
Brinkley-Chaudoir said she hopes people think of beading as more than just a craft, but as a way to connect with others.
“Everybody should have some kind of hobby, don’t you think?” she said. “My whole goal for this was ‘community.’ It may be corny, but I wanted people to know they could come here, and it’s a safe place. They could talk to people here… It’s a safe place to come and just enjoy yourself.”
Brinkley-Chaudoir said she’s happy she took the leap to become a small business owner, and is hopeful for its future.
“I’d like to see us grow and do more classes,” she said. “I need more people to help teach classes.”
Brinkley-Chaudoir said the plan is to move the shop to its new location in late May or early June.
More information on N.E.W. Beads and Jewelry, its inventory or the how-to classes can be found at newbeadsandjewelry.com.