After almost a dozen years of making and selling fine jewelry in a 220-square-foot shop on Queen Cross Street in Christiansted, St. Croix, Joyia Inspirational Jewelry moved across the street and expanded its business to 1,000 square feet.
Joyia Jones and her husband, Carlo Pedrini, opened the store in 2012. In the beginning, Jones handcrafted each piece of jewelry with inspirational meanings. Now, Pedrini makes the jewelry, while Jones makes custom pieces and is the “face” of the business.
“When I was eight years old, Santa brought me my first rock tumbler. I actually still have one of those pieces. They tumbled for months,” she said, adding that she almost always carries a crystal or rock in a pocket or handbag.
Jones has truly spread out in the new, large showroom. Now, in addition to her unique jewelry, there are scented candles, crystals, leather goods, pottery by St. Croix’s Donna Frock and greeting cards on display.
“We’ve curated with other businesses to make really intentional gifts,” Jones said.
The new jewelry showcase features necklaces, bracelets, rings, charms, earrings, chains and more in gold and silver. Precious stones can be added to special orders.
In another part of the room, the crystal collection sparkles in various sizes and shapes — raw and freeform to citrine hearts and agate flames. A huge pair of amethyst wings overshadows everything in the store. It is a giant geode cut in half and spread open. The piece is almost three million carats and was purchased in Brazil. There are also decks of cards and books about crystals, oracles and hardcover journals with gold foil quotes.
Jones has many ideas about the future of the business and keeps her mind open to new ideas.
“Starting April 1, you will come to us and have a jewelry experience. You’ll go upstairs and see where the jewelry is being made. You’ll hear about the history of the building. You’ll come downstairs and have a signature cocktail. Grab a crystal. Shop. And then there’s a QR code you can scan and we’re sending you to 10 or more other businesses in town, where we love to shop. It’s a two-hour shopping tour,” Jones said of the collaboration.
Shelley Williams of Great Exploration Tours on St. Thomas joined an International Women’s Day celebration last week to talk about shopping tours of Christiansted in conjunction with Joyia.
During the celebration, women flocked to the store and were pampered with live music, drinks, food, jewelry, crystal and chocolate.
Joyia’s new location at 42 Queen Cross Street is a grand, antique building that has been home to various businesses over the years — a bakery, real estate office, fashion house, etc. Jones researched the history of the property, and in the years just before the United States purchased St. Croix, it was a boarding house run by Julie Mudie and Henriette Simmelkiar, who planted African tulips in the windows as a sign the home was open to all. Officers were boarded there, the poor were fed and community celebrations filled the air with hope and pride, resilience and power, she said.
