Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandi Walker.
Brandi, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started my business many years ago in my 20s. I made & sold home decor & some metaphysical items. I opened a consignment shop in 2002 that showcased the talents & work of other local artist as well.
September of 2004, our town was hit with a hurricane. Ivan the terrible. That hurricane flooded all the businesses along the Ohio River in the historic downtown area. My partner (at the time) and I also suffered another tragic loss that day. We lost our 1st home.
Unfortunately, we had to relocate & rebuild our lives in their entirety. I eventually reopened at a marketplace/flea market after I had met an amazing woman who took me under her wing. She began to teach me & show me the ropes. My business evolved & changed. I began focusing more on healing myself & regaining my self-confidence. (I suffered from PTSD for a number of years following the flood.)
The shop took on a new identity of its own. I began finding my love for gemstones & crystals and all things metaphysical. After a number of years, I went into business with some friends & we opened a new brick & mortar location. We rented an old 2-story house. It was perfect! We hosted all sorts of classes & events. We each had our own niches & we showcased that. We had a great family but the WRONG location! Eventually, we forced to close our shop.
I took the next couple years off & eventually found myself missing the joy of doing what I really loved! I began making jewelry using gemstones & vintage components. I found a wonderful circuit of holistic fairs & jumped at the chance to vend with my jewelry & crystals! I was constantly making jewelry. It felt good to be creative & it was healing for me.
I eventually found myself on the brink of a divorce. I was glad to have the holistic fairs & my family there to help get me through it all. I was happy doing the fairs & working a full time job in retail as well. I began dating & found myself reconnecting with Zack, an old high school flame.
We dated for a while & began getting serious. He would often ask me why I never opened another shop. And just like most people, I didn’t have the funds for something like that. He began helping me at the holistic fairs, often donating his time and sometimes even his own money! We began getting into selling new & vintage sterling silver jewelry and began placing bigger orders for gemstones & crystals. We had some crazy momentum going!
During the holiday season of 2021, we attended a vendor pop-up market at our local mall. That event lead us to be invited as guest vendors for the remainder of the season! We were well received & the customers were so encouraging. There was one obvious message: our area NEEDED a shop like ours!
After MUCH discussion, we decided to go for it! One thing lead to another & we ended up signing a lease for a vacant storefront in our local mall! (Something I never seen coming! This was the place my new partner & I hung out at when we were teens! Funny how the universe makes things come full circle, even after 20-plus years!)
We opened Rockstarz in May of 2022!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Our biggest struggles are
1. Getting the word out that we are here in the Ohio Valley! We have tried commercials, newspaper ads, and even social media ads. Advertising is definitely a MUST! But word of mouth helps alot!
2. Malls are dying… it is sad, but it’s true. Our mall is no different. It’s decaying and in disrepair. There are a lot of issues with that building & parking lot which keep customers away. (When you don’t own the building, you find yourself at the mercy of the building owners and what they feel needs addressed)
3. Negative image of the mall for the above-stated reasons. (This community has been waiting years for something to be addressed regarding the condition of the mall.)
4. Generating the Foot Traffic. We host guest readers & hold events to boost our brand recognition and get people in the door.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Rockstarz is a local jewelry & rock shop that specializes in affordable, quality sterling silver and gemstone jewelry, rocks, crystals & specimens of all types, as well as home decor & metaphysical items. We stock a HUGE variety or incense, sage, Tarot & Oracle decks, tapestries, purses & bags & now 3D printed items!
We provide our customers with a comfortable atmosphere. We are happy to help guide them and answer any questions they may have. Our product selection & knowledge staff are what sets us apart from other shops!
After all, we sell Happiness.
We are currently working on our website & hope to have it live by Spring.
We hope to be able to continue serving the community for a long time to come!
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Our location is great. We are situated in the upper Ohio Valley right along the Ohio River, just several minutes from the WV state line & about 35 minutes from Pittsburgh, PA. Steubenville, Ohio, has gained notoriety with national coverage of the Nutcracker Village during the holiday season, which brings a lot of traffic through our town. And we’re the birthplace of Dean Martin, famous for his silky voice & rat pack movies.
The least likeable part is not having a large enough demographic to draw larger chain stores to our particular area, therefore sending customers across state lines to find what they’re wanting.
Pricing:
- Tumbled stones range $3 to $5 ea
- Crystal Specimens range $10 and up
- Sterling silver jewelry ranges from $20 and up depending on design, gemstones & material weight
- We offer layaway on $100 or more items
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockstarzgemz
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RockStarzGemz?mibextid=ZbWKwL
