Beads of Splendor is closing on Garland Road. Photo courtesy of Beads of Splendor on Instagram
Beads of Splendor, the jewelry-making store on Garland Road, is closing after more than 20 years in business, the owner said.
Beads, gems, metals, tools, stringing material and nearly half a million dollars in other products will be marked down in a going-out-of-business sale starting in September. All in-store and online merchandise will start at 30 percent off.
Jewelry display fixtures, cases, wooden tables and vintage furniture are also available for purchase, but they can’t be picked up until December, when the lease expires, owner Diana Thatcher said.
Thatcher, who is 74, said the timing is right to close, and she wants to pursue other hobbies.
“I’ll be sad to not have my wonderful customers around and see all the neat things they make,” Thatcher said. “But you’ve got to stop sometime. Retail is 24/7. It’s like having a child, and I’m ready to be rid of the responsibility. I need to do this while I can still walk. I want to garden and cook.”
The storefront at 9047 Garland Road is for sale. Thatcher has met with a couple of interested parties, including several customers and a bead store in Louisiana, but no one seriously considered buying, she said.
The business started as a garden accessory store called Splendor in the Grass located near the Arboretum. It moved to the Lakewood Shopping Center in 2001 and operated there for 13 years. In 2014, Beads of Splendor opened on Garland Road, where it has been located for nearly seven years.
During the pandemic, Beads of Splendor helped neighbors stay busy with craft projects by filling online and pickup orders. The store is now open with limited hours from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Jewelry-making classes are no longer offered.
“A lot of people are making things while they’re home, and I’d like for people to get what they want while we’ve got it,” Thatcher said. “There’s a lot of stuff here you can’t get anywhere else.”
