MANAYUNK

How did you become interested in selling jewelry?

I used to have a jewelry store in Albuquerque, New Mexico for twenty years.

So did you start by selling art and then move on to selling jewelry?

Yes, I started selling fine arts. I represented quite a number of world-renowned artists before I decided to open a jewelry store.

Are you selling both art and jewelry in your store?

Yes, I have a lot of artwork from my previous artist, unfortunately they are mostly inside the art drawers.

Why move to Manayunk?

Manayunk is a very friendly and vibrant place, A lot of fun festivities happen in Manayunk.

How did you come up with the name of your store?

I'm a Bahá'í. The Bahá'í faith is an independent religion. Baha'u'llah is the founder of the Bahai faith, and He has left us with hundreds of prayers. One of my favorite prayers has the word "illumine" over and over in it. My mother taught me that a store's name should have odd numbers, so I took out the other "L" and add a thingy on top of the letter "E". That's where Iluminé came from.

What do you think makes Iluminé unique in comparison to other jewelry stores?

Iluminé's slogan is "affordable fine jewelry for everyday wear." We have quite a number of designers that use 14k to 16k gold overlay, meaning over sterling silver or other metals, making it quite affordable for everyday wear. We also have fine solid gold and diamonds as well.

Do you have a favorite item in your store?

All of the jewelry designers we have are a favorite of mine. They all make beautiful and gorgeous jewelry.

What would you say is the most challenging part about having your own business?

I think the most challenging part of having your own business these days for me is Social Media. In my generation we used to use newspapers and magazine for advertising.

Why do you love Manayunk?

I think it's the people that live here and the surrounding areas. I found them to be the most friendly in a very real way.