News
ENLARGE
Pamela Klein and Bob Waidelich own Mana Beads, in downtown Nevada City. With them is their dog, Jonny Boy.
Mana Beads
• Pamela Klein & Bob Waidelich, owners
• 423 Broad St., Nevada City
• (530) 470-8399
• www.ManaBeads.com
• Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
• 423 Broad St., Nevada City
• (530) 470-8399
• www.ManaBeads.com
• Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
Mana Beads is a mecca for creativity.
“One thing we love about the business is interacting with the community on a creative level,” said Pamela Klein.
Whether it's helping a family gather supplies to make wedding jewelry or working with crafters to find an elusive item, Klein and partner Bob Waidelich are always available to teach “over the counter,” educating customers on basic skills, answering questions and performing repairs.
Mana Beads, open since March 2005, offers classes and supplies for both novice and advanced jewelry makers.
The business partners and couple, together for 15 years, turned showing their wares at craft fairs in Hawaii, where they met, into a retail store they named Mana Beads. Eight years later, Waidelich, 43, and Klein, 41, moved to Nevada County to be closer to family.
They ran their business through their website for a year before opening Mana Beads at its current location.
“I love doing business in town, love the community,” Waidelich said of his hometown. Klein hails from Ohio.
While Mana Beads' website continues to thrive, it is always second to their retail location — what Klein calls their “brick and mortar,” filled with strings of shimmering beads, mellow music, displays of scarfs, boxes and finished jewelry, and their dog, Jonny Boy, waiting patiently for his afternoon walk.
“Walk-in traffic and customers come first,” Klein said.
The store is open late and on the weekends to accommodate working customers; they receive a lot of traffic between 5 and 6 p.m.
Mana Beads offers more items in store than online. The extensive inventory includes beads, finished jewelry (most made in store), gifts and jewelry-making supplies such as wire cutters and torches. The inventory isn't static; the focus on finding unique products makes it ever-changing.
“We seek out stuff you don't see everywhere,” Waidelich said.
They cater to both hobbyists and designers, and offer products at wholesale prices.
Klein teaches twice-weekly classes designed for honing techniques and skills for jewelry making.
Items students will make are displayed for inspiration. On the days when no classes are scheduled, customers are free to use the work space.
It's the balance between the website, retail store, classes and products that makes Mana Beads successful.
“It takes all the ingredients to make it run,” Waidelich said.
“You have to get creative with the business side and run a tight ship,” Klein said of navigating a business through the shaky economy. “Just like jewelry making, you have to be creative.”
Klein and Waidelich give back to the community through fundraisers, mainly by conducting contests that benefit the Neighborhood Center of the Arts, a Grass Valley art program for developmentally disabled adults.
They hope to hold a trunk show in the fall and continue to conduct classes and be a creative resource in the community.
“There is always room to grow,” Klein said.
To contact Reader Liaison Angela Diaz, e-mail adiaz@theunion.com or call (530) 477-4203.
“One thing we love about the business is interacting with the community on a creative level,” said Pamela Klein.
Whether it's helping a family gather supplies to make wedding jewelry or working with crafters to find an elusive item, Klein and partner Bob Waidelich are always available to teach “over the counter,” educating customers on basic skills, answering questions and performing repairs.
Mana Beads, open since March 2005, offers classes and supplies for both novice and advanced jewelry makers.
The business partners and couple, together for 15 years, turned showing their wares at craft fairs in Hawaii, where they met, into a retail store they named Mana Beads. Eight years later, Waidelich, 43, and Klein, 41, moved to Nevada County to be closer to family.
They ran their business through their website for a year before opening Mana Beads at its current location.
“I love doing business in town, love the community,” Waidelich said of his hometown. Klein hails from Ohio.
While Mana Beads' website continues to thrive, it is always second to their retail location — what Klein calls their “brick and mortar,” filled with strings of shimmering beads, mellow music, displays of scarfs, boxes and finished jewelry, and their dog, Jonny Boy, waiting patiently for his afternoon walk.
“Walk-in traffic and customers come first,” Klein said.
The store is open late and on the weekends to accommodate working customers; they receive a lot of traffic between 5 and 6 p.m.
Mana Beads offers more items in store than online. The extensive inventory includes beads, finished jewelry (most made in store), gifts and jewelry-making supplies such as wire cutters and torches. The inventory isn't static; the focus on finding unique products makes it ever-changing.
“We seek out stuff you don't see everywhere,” Waidelich said.
They cater to both hobbyists and designers, and offer products at wholesale prices.
Klein teaches twice-weekly classes designed for honing techniques and skills for jewelry making.
Items students will make are displayed for inspiration. On the days when no classes are scheduled, customers are free to use the work space.
It's the balance between the website, retail store, classes and products that makes Mana Beads successful.
“It takes all the ingredients to make it run,” Waidelich said.
“You have to get creative with the business side and run a tight ship,” Klein said of navigating a business through the shaky economy. “Just like jewelry making, you have to be creative.”
Klein and Waidelich give back to the community through fundraisers, mainly by conducting contests that benefit the Neighborhood Center of the Arts, a Grass Valley art program for developmentally disabled adults.
They hope to hold a trunk show in the fall and continue to conduct classes and be a creative resource in the community.
“There is always room to grow,” Klein said.
To contact Reader Liaison Angela Diaz, e-mail adiaz@theunion.com or call (530) 477-4203.
