Dune hosts Sample Sale

Dune Jewelry is an unassuming little shop right before the Washington Street Bridge on the border of South Norwood.

You wouldn’t think it, but there’s a custom jewelry factory in the building, hiding right behind the little gift shop in front.

Owner Holly Daniels Christensen said they moved into the location four years ago, and it was a great move for them.

“Norwood happened to just be a great community in which to have a small business, and we love it here,” she said. “We’ve been here four years now. It’s been great here.”

The shop creates custom jewelry from keepsakes. The basic idea is you take something that’s special to you – like sand from your favorite beach, for instance – and the jewelers put selected elements into a piece.

Christensen said slowly but surely, they’ve been making a name for themselves here in Norwood.

“We’ve been slowly building local clientele, but it’s definitely taking time,” she said. “It’s a lot of word of mouth.”

Christensen said she started the business on her kitchen table. She said for 16 years, she built it up and further and further, to the point where now there are shops all across the country and the world selling what they produce here in Norwood.

The Sample Sale held recently allowed the shop to clear out inventory it usually doesn’t sell.

“We’ve been in business 16 years, and throughout the years we have photoshoots, label designs and other things that accumulate in the studio,” she said. “All of our pieces are custom-made to order, so it’s not like we can just put it back into inventory and just sell it to someone. So these samples accumulate after so many years. This is our first in-person sample sale over the past 16 years.”

Christensen said it was amazing to do this for the first time in-person.

“It’s amazing, the energy is good and we have just a great community,” she said.

Part of her business model is to create community through shared experiences, and so members come together for cruises throughout the world. She said many who came to the sample sale (sail?) were setting off the next day along the Canadian coastline.

“A lot of the people here are going to be traveling with us up through New England to Canada,” she said. “We’re very travel-centric when it comes to our jewelry.”

Christensen herself said she felt the jewelry style helps to keep a physical reminder of days lost to the, ahem, sands of time.

“It’s a tangible reminder of the very most special moments of their lives,” she said. “I love it.”

“I mean, look at the community here, I mean people have flown here just to be here. It’s overwhelming,” she said. “It’s just so much. I can’t believe people support us like that.”