At Dune Jewelry, our story began with one mother’s desire to hold on to what matters most—transforming cherished moments into lasting keepsakes, right from her kitchen table. Today, that same spirit lives on in retail stores across the country—and beyond—where family-run shops bring Dune to life in their own unique way.

This Mother’s Day, we’re shining a light on some of the incredible women who balance business, motherhood, and everything in between. Their stories remind us that behind every meaningful business is someone who dared to do it all—with love, grit, and grace.

Persnickety Jewelry & Gifts — Arcadia & Punta Gorda, FL

Owner: Angie, proud mom and longtime entrepreneur

For 21 years, Angie has curated heartfelt gifts, chocolates, floral arrangements, and jewelry with the help of her daughter-in-law Amber, who manages their digital presence (and often brings the grandbaby along!).

Q. What’s one inspiring skill or quality your child (or family member) brings to the business?

Amber, my Daughter-In-Law, does a job that none of us could as our Social Media Web Manager.  She maintains our social pages and website so we can maintain a strong presence online as well as in store.  She’s so talented!

Q. What’s something powerful your mother (or mother figure) instilled in you that you carry into your work or life today? 

Definitely my work ethic! I have passed that on to my children as well. l always go the extra mile to make each customer’s gift experience perfect and maintain close connections with my business partnerships.

Q. What’s your favorite Dune Jewelry design and element to recommend for Mother’s Day?

My favorite Dune Jewelry designs are the new Diamond Wave Rings – both the Double Wave and Eternity Bands. They are so elegant and I love that they have a hidden sand bezel to make them sentimental too!  We still have some sizes available in our Arcadia location.

In terms of elements, I would have to choose sand from my boys’ first trip to Daytona Beach and Turquoise, the color of the water.

Visit Persnickety Jewelry and Gifts at 1003 E Oak St, Arcadia, FL 34266 or 258 W Marion Ave #4435, Punta Gorda, FL 33950, United States.

Amber’s role is one we keep seeing across our retailers: a younger family member who has quietly become fluent in the search and social side of the business. She studies what’s working in wildly different corners of the internet — how seasonal florists shape their Mother’s Day ad spend in the second week of May, why Deutsche Online Casinos all converge on a near-identical first page of search results, how a single 30-second review clip can carry a small shop’s traffic through a slow quarter — and folds those lessons back into a 21-year-old gift shop in Arcadia. It’s the modern, mostly invisible half of running a heritage business, and at Persnickety, like at so many of our retailers, it’s a daughter-in-law doing it.

Two Fish Gallery — Leland, MI

Owner: Jennifer Collins, mom of 5, and grandma

Set in the “land of delight,” Jennifer’s gallery is a coastal haven for handmade treasures.

Q. Let’s start with your store! Tell us about your business.  

My husband, Michael and I, purchased our business in November of 1997 – at the time, it was called “Americana Collection of Gifts”.  

Q. Do you work with any family members? If so, who—and what’s the best part about working together?  

Over the years we have had several of our daughters working with us, but they are all grown and on their own now!  However, our 12-year-old granddaughter started working with us last year (she’s the sassy one in the photo of the 4 of us – me, two daughters and granddaughter)

I love having her “youthful” perspective – the jobs she finds so fun are typically the ones I’ve done a thousand times – putting on price stickers, unpacking boxes.  

Q. What’s something powerful your mom instilled in you that you carry into your work or life today?  

My mom taught ESL for 25 years to immigrant students in Iowa; children that had no English and had fled their countries. It was inspiring to see how hard they worked and gave me a great appreciation for education and compassion for others.

Q. What advice would you share with other moms balancing motherhood and running a business? 

Now that I’m older and look back, I wish I would have known that it’s okay to close early for your child’s music concert or basketball game sometimes.  Running a business is hard because you feel like everyone is depending on you, but family is the most important thing!

Q. If you could design a custom Dune piece that represents your motherhood journey, what would it look like? Would it include a birth month element, sand from a family beach, or something symbolic of your story?  

I am in a unique situation, as I have 5 daughters but gave birth to none of them.  Three are my stepdaughters who I helped raise, and two are adopted.  My jewelry would include their birthstones, and possibly some sand or earth from China and the Philippines where my adopted daughters were born.  There would definitely be hearts involved.  

Visit Two Fish Gallery at 104 W River St, Leland, MI 49654, United States.

Sea Moon — Surf City, NJ

Owner: Brenda Valente, carrying on her mother’s dream
Now in its 50th year, Sea Moon is a multigenerational boutique born from creativity and family.

“For five decades, Sea Moon has been a beloved part of Long Beach Island’s vibrant community. Founded by mom, Mary Ann Zazzera our boutique started as a family passion project that has since grown into a must-visit shopping destination. Today, I (Brenda Valente), am carrying on the tradition, ensuring that Sea Moon remains a beacon of creativity, charm, and heartfelt hospitality.”

Q. Do you work with any family members? If so, who—and what’s the best part about working together? 

I work primarily with my mom although I have to give a shout out to my dad that is always there to lend a hand when needed! It’s PRECIOUS TIME that we get to spend together that is priceless! Life is short and I feel lucky that I can carry on my mom’s dream with her.

Q. What’s one inspiring skill or quality your mom brings to the business? 

My mom is extremely creative. She has a passion for creating visually appealing displays that tell a story.  Her designs bring joy and creates a unique and memorable shopping experience. 

My mom instilled patience, empathy and the importance of listening and connecting with customers. It’s genuine and comes from the heart, and customers feel that.  

Q. What’s your favorite Dune Jewelry design to recommend for Mother’s Day? 

The Wave Collection. Being at the beach, the ocean with its constant ebb and flow, represents resilience and adaptability. Waves constantly crash against obstacles, yet they continue to move forward, just like mom’s do!

Q. What advice would you share with other moms balancing motherhood and running a business? 

You need to prioritize self-care. Not easy at all to do, but prioritizing your physical, mental and emotional needs is critical to effectively care for your business and family.

Visit Sea Moon at 1503 Long Beach Blvd, Surf City, NJ 08008, United States.

Right Time Watches — Highlands Ranch, CO

Owners: Monica Barrett, Rita Zaltsberg (mom) and Victoria Zaltsberg  (Sister)

From unique timepieces to meaningful jewelry, Monica works alongside her mom, sister, dad, and brother in Colorado.

“We are a family run store with two locations in Metro Denver.  We specialize in carrying a LOT of watch brands from all over the world.  We try to carry more unique brands that you don’t see in traditional jewelers.  We got into jewelry before covid, with the same philosophy.” 

Q. Do you work with any family members? If so, who—and what’s the best part about working together? 

I LOVE working with my family, specifically my mom, Rita, and my sister, Victoria! My Dad and brother are at our Denver location, and that is the perfect setup for our family! I love having the flexibility of working with family since it takes a village to raise my three boys!”

Q. What’s one inspiring skill or quality your mom and sister bring to the business? 

My mom is the money person.  She is the number cruncher and always makes sure we buy within our means while maintaining a large inventory to attract our customers. My sister is creative and detail oriented and is great at making sure watches are all perfect before heading home with a customer!

Q. What’s something powerful your mother (or a mother figure) instilled in you that you carry into your work or life today? 

My mom has taught us so many things. My mom never told us to work hard.  She just showed us. 

The single MOST important thing that mom instilled is the importance of helping others.  She has helped so many people in so many ways.  Every person in our family, friends, and strangers. She taught us by modeling empathy for others.  That is now the single most important thing that I hope my children learn!

Q. What advice would you share with other moms balancing motherhood and running a business? 

I would say lean in—don’t be afraid to ask for help.  If you go 100%, all of the time, in all areas, you will burn out. Get yourself a village.  There is no prize for doing this on your own.  The more people that surround your children, the more love they will feel, and the better they will be. 

Q. If you could design a custom Dune piece that represents your motherhood journey, what would it look like?  

It would be gold and I would LOVE a circular piece that had all of my children’s stones, as well as some Colorado earth. We love hiking in our beautiful state—I would love to get a scoop of earth from Steamboat Springs, our favorite family spot!

I love, love any of our Dune pieces that have Colorado earth in them.  My parents immigrated to Colorado from the Soviet Union so many years ago.  It is the only home I have ever known and it is truly a part of my story.

My favorite Dune circular piece is the new WanderLocket ™ with Natural Diamonds and interchangeable discs. I would make mine with discs that have all the family elements, as well as Steamboat Springs earth in it. 

Visit Right Time Watches at 7110 East County Line Road, Highland Ranch, CO 80126.

Kristie’s Jewels — Aruba

Owner: Anita, running a shop full of warmth with her husband, Ravi
Anita curates Kristie’s with heart, always emphasizing kindness and connection.

“Hi! I’m Anita, and I run Kristie’s Jewels with my husband on our beautiful, happy island— Aruba. Our little jewelry store is family-owned and filled with love. I take care of the store’s look and feel, all the back-office magic, and make sure everything runs like clockwork behind the scenes. My husband, Ravi, and I co-own the business. He’s got a real eye for design and picking out unique, meaningful pieces. We work side-by–side to keep things fresh so our customers—many of whom we now call friends-always have something new to discover when they walk through our door.”

Q. What is one piece of advice your mother shared you with you?

One of the most important things my mom taught me was to always treat everyone with respect. Those timeless values kindness, integrity, humility are at the center of how I run my life and our business. 

Q. What Dune Jewelry design would you recommend this Mother’s Day?

For Mother’s Day, I always gravitate toward heart-shaped pieces. They’re classic, yes—but also deeply symbolic. After all, they say a mother’s heart is never hers again after her child is born. That resonates with me more than words can say. 

 

Q. How do you manage running a business while being a mother?

Running a business and being a mom? They’re both your babies-and they need different kinds of love and attention. My advice? Don’t be afraid to lean on help for the business. But your children especially when they’re little need you. Your warmth. Your presence. Your love.

Visit Kristie’s Jewels at J.E. Irausquin Blvd 382, Noord, Aruba.

Jewelry That Tells a Story—Just Like Mom

To the mothers, grandmothers, daughters, and caregivers who inspire us every day—thank you for being part of our journey. We invite you to explore the pieces that capture your own story or help you honor hers.

From our Dune family to yours—Happy Mother’s Day.