ARTISAN MADE GOODS
Tumbleweed Shop & Studio and I go back about 10 years to2008-2009 when I owned a women’s clothing store in downtown Wenatchee calledStudio 10 Boutique. Jessica Russell,creator and owner of Tumbleweed Bead jewelry, suggested I sell her signaturehoops in my store. Which I did, and they sold like crazy! One time, I even sold a pair of gold hoopsstraight from my ears at a clothing show in Seattle.
Fast forward to today and you’ll find Jessica and herhusband Tyler have established Tumbleweed Shop & Studio as a successfulwholesale and online jewelry business as well as a retail store in Wenatcheefor the past 8 years. Jessica, along with her team of makers, sales staff, andmedia management, all help produce and sell Tumbleweed jewelry to a wholesale,online, and in-store consumer. Including selling products from a variety ofother American made small-batch artisan companies from across the nation. Mostof them female owned.
Tumbleweed Shop & Studio carries lines by artisans fromall around the country. Their product mix consists of gorgeous semi-preciousstones/metals/bead jewelry, HOBO Handbags, Voluspa Candles, clothing, scarves,Diff Sunglasses, barware, ceramics, greeting cards, children’s gifts, naturalskincare products and many other natural and unique things.
TUMBLEWEED’SBEGINNING
Jessica has been creating jewelry since she was a young girlalongside her Grandmother. She started selling her jewelry in college tofriends who told their friends. She also took it one step further and sold herjewelry at regional craft fairs, set up an online shop on Etsy, and sheapproached retail stores to sell her Tumbleweed jewelry.
Believing Wenatchee was on an uphill trajectory to becominga “happening” place with a growing economy, the Russell’s jumped on theopportunity to make a change of direction in their lives and invest inWenatchee’s community.
After growing her online business for a few years and livingin Bend, OR, with her husband Tyler and their newborn twins, Jessica and Tylerchose to move their new babies back to Wenatchee and closer to Jessica’s familyin 2010.
The Russell’s believed Wenatchee was on an uphill trajectoryto becoming a “happening” place with a growing economy and they wanted to be apart of that. They jumped on theopportunity to make a change of direction in their lives and invest theirfuture into Wenatchee’s community.
As soon as they arrived, they opened a work so they could continuefilling jewelry orders. The retail shopsoon followed to Jessica’s surprise with much success. She knew she hadsomething different than everyone else in town, but didn’t realize how well herproducts mix would be accepted by a local and traveling crowd.
Now Tumbleweed Shop & Studio is a crown jewel in ourdowntown environment!
TUMBLEWEED NOW AT #1
Tumbleweed Shop & Studio recently relocated to a biggerspace that is more prominently located at 1 Wenatchee Avenue. In this bigger space,Jessica and crew are able to work in an adjacent studio space to the retailside making it easy to hear and interact with customers. Seven employees makeup Tumbleweed operation from jewelry makers, wholesale sales, retailassociates, marketing, and shipping. And they are all the nicest people andgive GREAT customer service!
Tumbleweed does participate in every First Friday Art walk!See their Facebook page for updates.
Tumbleweed Shop & Studio, 1 North Wenatchee Ave. WA 9880, (509) 423-4722 http://www.tumbleweedbeadco.com/
By: Lisa Traum livingncw.com