JEWELRY EMPHASIZES JUDAIC SYMBOLS.BUSINESS NAME: Alef Bet Jewelry jewelry, personal adornments worn for ornament or utility, to show rank or wealth, or to follow superstitious custom or fashion. The most universal forms of jewelry are the necklace, bracelet, ring, pin, and earring. BUSINESS ADDRESS: P.O. Box 3974, Chatsworth Chatsworth, estate, Derbyshire, central England, near Chesterfield. It is the seat of the dukes of Devonshire. Begun in 1552, the present Classical-style Chatsworth House was rebuilt in 1686. , CA 91313 PHONE: (818) 882-9030 WEB SITE: www.alefbet.com OWNER: Paula PAULA Possession of Alcohol Under the Legal Age Brooks ESTABLISHED: 1995 NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: One with seven contractors DESCRIBE YOUR BUSINESS: We manufacture jewelry with emphasis on Judaic Ju·da·ic also Ju·da·i·cal adj. Of, relating to, or characteristic of Jews or Judaism: Judaic traditions. [Latin I symbols. We take current styles and add a touch of "Jewish" to them. IS THIS YOUR FIRST BUSINESS? No. I was in jewelry retail before manufacturing. WHY DID YOU START THIS BUSINESS? Initially, I began selling jewelry because my husband wouldn't buy me any. Thereafter, my son-in-law SON-IN-LAW, in Latin called gener. The husband of one's daughter. suggested I make Hebrew letters instead of English ones, and a new business began -- Jewish jewelry. WHERE DID YOU GET THE IDEA? Though my son-in-law suggested the Hebrew letters for necklaces. My customers were the ones who asked what else we had. So we created a Star of David. HOW LONG WAS IT FROM CONCEPT TO OPENING? Two months. WHAT DID YOU DO DURING THAT TIME? I started calling temple gift shops and art galleries to see if they would be interested in our product. WHAT WERE YOUR STARTUP COSTS AND HOW DID YOU FINANCE THE BUSINESS? $1,500 - 30 molds for $50 each. I used a bond my aunt gave me when I was a child. WHO DID YOU RELY ON FOR ADVICE? My husband, who loves numbers and is still my bookkeeper and adviser to this day. And our first wholesale customer, who recommended I expand the line to include more designs if I wanted to stay in business more than a year. WHAT HADN'T YOU CONSIDERED BEFORE OPENING? The need to advertise, have a catalog catalog, descriptive list, on cards or in a book, of the contents of a library. Assurbanipal's library at Nineveh was cataloged on shelves of slate. The first known subject catalog was compiled by Callimachus at the Alexandrian Library in the 3d cent. B.C. and have to do national gift shows to expand our presence. I knew the Internet Internet Publicly accessible computer network connecting many smaller networks from around the world. It grew out of a U.S. Defense Department program called ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), established in 1969 with connections between computers at the would be the big thing, but I had no idea where to begin, and now I have an online store. WHAT IS YOUR EXPECTED REVENUE THIS YEAR? $400,000 -- $500,000. WHAT GOALS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE COMPANY? To gain a larger presence on the Internet and begin to sell in more jewelry stores instead of small gift shops. We would also like to produce a large printed catalog and gain a foothold foot·hold n. 1. A place providing support for the foot in climbing or standing. 2. A firm or secure position that provides a base for further advancement. foothold Noun 1. in nonreligious magazines to show that Judaic jewelry isn't limited to a few people. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) Paula Brooks and Alissa Haroush display some of the Jewish-themed jewelry they create for Alef Bet Jewelry. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer |
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