With a long history in retail and design, here is a closer look at the Pick Up Sticks Jewelry Company owner and how she got to where she is today!
How long have you been in retail?
It’s as though I was raised in retail. Many after-school hours and summers were spent working at my parent’s Asian import stores in Boca Raton, Riviera Beach, and Palm Beach, Florida. From waiting on customers, to reveling in gift wrap, to unpacking untold treasures from the Far East, I loved being part of my parent’s shops. Each day was like being in a foreign land surrounded by beautiful and exotic things. Unlike most of my friends, my mom went to work each day in a brocade Suzy Wong dress.
Who or what piqued your interest in Pick Up Sticks Jewelry Company?
I feel that my path to Pick Up Sticks was a gift from my sister, literally. Andrea and I were an amazing team. In younger years our five-and-half-year age difference was apparent, of course, but as we grew older, we grew closer. Some of my fondest childhood memories were she and I in Saturday morning art class together, or spending vacations at the Jersey shore burying each other in the sand or digging for periwinkle shells.
In 2008, however, we banded together for a much more serious pursuit. Our beautiful mother suffered a major stroke, and Andie and I were called into action. We worked tirelessly to rehabilitate and care for Mom, while juggling our personal and work lives. It was a challenging journey that spanned not months, but years.
