September 13, 2018 Page 5
The Jewelry Source Welcomes
New Staff, Celebrates a Milestone
Story and Photo by Brian Simon
Make customer service priority number one.
Don’t skimp on quality. Adapt to changing
times. Never rest on your laurels. Those are
some basic mantras taken to heart by Brenda
Newman, who next year will celebrate the 35th
anniversary of her Main Street mainstay The
Jewelry Source. The El Segundo High School
alum has seen many retailer neighbors come
and go over the years. At one time the new
kid on the block, she can now say she owns
one of the longest-standing stores in Downtown
El Segundo. “I can’t believe how the time has
passed,” she said. “But I still love what I do
and plan to be here for many years to come.”
This is true in more than one respect. Newman
also lives in the unit upstairs. Downtown El
Segundo is truly her stomping ground.
The Jewelry Source first opened in 1984 in
a humble hallway on Grand Avenue smaller
than the average-size bedroom. Newman and
partner Roanne Mahony began selling beads
out of the space. The two eventually settled at
337 Main and expanded their operations. The
business grew and built a loyal following by
providing quality merchandise, craftsmanship
and personalized customer service. The formula
worked. The Jewelry Source reported tripledigit
growth virtually every year, even through
recessionary times. It continues to thrive despite
the advent of malls and Amazon.
Seeing the technological writing on the wall
and recognizing the need to embrace it, Newman
computer-automated the business in 2004 as a
way to streamline customer communication. She
added 800 square feet to build a state-of-the-art
workshop and accommodate a laser welder.
She adopted an interactive online diamond
database as well as Counter Sketch software
for 3D jewelry design, and developed an active
social media presence.
Yet despite the commitment to be tech-savvy
and keep up with the times, Newman emphasizes
that it still comes down to the people. As such,
she looks to her staff as extensions of herself.
“Our main focus has always been trust and
transparency and providing a quality product
for a fair price to our clients,” Newman said.
“Excellent customer service is vital and even
though we now live in a digital world, the
need for hands-on, live, one-on-one personal
service is more important than ever.”
In the early days, she and Mahony (who
has retired, but still regularly visits the store)
employed only a single craftsman. The staff
number has grown over the years and The
Jewelry Source recently welcomed three new
additions to the team.
Michelle Cruz’s resume includes eight
years of corporate retail jewelry experience
as a store manager developing a culture of
“cohesive creatives” with staff. “She comes
Back row from L-R Maury Pineda, Roselle Angellano, Lance Say, Michelle Cruz, Brenda Newman and Bobby Jon. Front row: Gemma.
to work with us wanting to learn more about
fine jewelry and colored stones,” Newman said.
“She is extremely excited about the prospect of
developing her skills when working with our
clients one-on-one for both repairs and custom
designs.” Cruz’s primary emphasis is managing
the store’s after sales service department, which
utilizes her communication skills and keen eye
for small details. “She brings a good energy
to The Jewelry Source and admits to enjoying
the challenge of learning something new each
day,” Newman added.
Maury Pineda previously worked for a
large corporate jewelry store, but realized her
many talents were clearly underutilized. “She
is extremely good with her hands and has an
excellent eye for good design,” Newman noted.
Pineda works closely with the store’s master
wax carver Bobby Jon and craftsman Lance
Say to ensure optimal communication with
clients during the custom design process. “She
is developing her hand-rendering skills and
learning each day what knowledge it takes to
further our clients experience,” Newman added.
“She provides wonderful creativity with our
showcase jewelry displays and always has a
smile on her face and is anxious to greet our
customers when they enter the store.”
Roselle Angellano, the most recent arrival,
is a graduate gemologist who completed her
jewelry design course from the Gemological
Institute of America. She brings 10 years of
fine jewelry retail experience working with
estate and designer fine jewelry. “Besides
working with our clients for jewelry design
and repair, she manages our online presence
with Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest and is
responsible for keeping our website updated
and fresh,” Newman said.
With the right mix of people in place,
plus friendly canine mascot Gemma in tow,
Newman is excited about the next chapter for
The Jewelry Source. “It feels like even after
almost 35 years that we are just getting started,”
she said. “I feel like Cher sometimes. Each
day is a new challenge and we are constantly
reinventing ourselves.”
Asked to name a few highlights since opening
the store, Newman was quick to mention a
special project (in conjunction with Douglas
Mortuary) restoring jewelry pulled from the
victims of the Pennsylvania crash on Sept.
11, 2001. She did similar work after a 2006
air tragedy in Lexington, Kentucky. “It was so
meaningful for us to be able to play a small,
but important role in helping the survivors,”
Newman said. The Jewelry Source additionally
hosts a fundraiser every other year to benefit
El Segundo Auxiliary Children’s Hospital
Los Angeles. The most recent event took
place on June 23. Newman also enjoys her
diamond-hunting trips to Antwerp, Belgium.
But once again, it comes down to the people.
“Just interacting with customers in general
is a highlight in itself, working closely with
them to create that perfect custom design and
seeing their smiles when everything is done,”
Newman said.
While the store will indeed turn 35 next year,
Newman noted that it’s a bit early to celebrate
that particular milestone. “That’s because we
have to recognize 34 first,” she explained.
To do so, The Jewelry Source will hold a
storewide blowout sale from Sept. 25 to Sept.
29. “For us, this is the sale. The whole store is
marked – with the exception of custom/special
designs and loose diamonds -- and there will
be some deep discounts. So it’s best to come
early and take advantage of the deals while
they are still available.”
Newman remains heavily involved with the
local community as a Planning Commissioner
during an especially active time for commercial
projects. She sits on the boards of the El Segundo
Education Foundation and El Segundo Chamber
of Commerce (which named her Citizen of
the Year for 2018), and is a member of the
Downtown Beautification Committee. “It’s true
that El Segundo is changing, but we still offer
the kind of small-town, close-knit environment
that you can’t find elsewhere,” she said. “I can’t
imagine living or working anywhere else.” •
Must-Have Mushroom Avocado Melt
There’s so much flavor in this towering grilled veggie burger creation, you won’t miss the meat.
Ingredients
Recipe provided by BPT. | Serves: 4 - Prep time: 30+ minutes
• 4 Sara Lee Artesano Bakery Buns
• 1/4 cup Italian dressing
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 4 Portobello mushrooms, wiped
clean and stems removed
• 4 slices Muenster or Swiss cheese
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced and brushed
with olive oil
• 2 avocados, thinly sliced
• 1 tomato, sliced
Preparation
• 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, finely
shredded
• Red Pepper Aioli (recipe follows)
• Red Pepper Aioli Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed
lemon juice
• 1/2 jar of roasted red bell pepper,
finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
1. Make the Red Pepper Aioli. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, and fold together.
2. In a dish, combine Italian dressing, lemon and Worcestershire sauce. Add mushrooms, and toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (or overnight, if desired).Preheat a
grill or grill pan to medium heat. Grill mushrooms 10 minutes on each side, then top with cheese, and let melt. Grill onions simultaneously 2 to 3 minutes on each side,
until tender. Place buns on the grill to toast lightly as well.
3. To build the sandwich, spread the top half of each bun with aioli. On each bottom half, place a mushroom, some red onions, avocado slices, a bit of lettuce, sliced
tomato and the top half. •