Check Out Aklia Chinn’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aklia Chinn.

Hi Aklia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My shop/boutique has been here at 1515 N Cahuenga Blvd since 1997. I relocated here from a much smaller space in N Hollywood where I started my business in 1995. 2025 marked my 30th year in business. In 2006 I split the space and opened a hair salon, REHAB Salon which remains in business to this day. Sadly I’ve decided to close the boutique by the end of this year. I plan to launch a big liquidation sale starting the first weekend of November and will continue discounting items until everything is gone. It’s the end of an era, and an opportunity for folks to get some great deals on ethnic & tribal jewelry & gifts just in time for the holidays season.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh gosh! Well… Lots of ups and downs over the past 30 years to be sure. It’s hard to know where to begin. The business survived the first big writers strike in the early 00’s, the mortgage crisis & financial collapse in ‘08, the homeless crisis that decimated the neighborhood which started around 2014, COVID and all the resulting lost revenue that resulted from it. Those were the most significant low points. The high points are a bit harder to pinpoint, but are too numerous to count. If it weren’t for the highs it certainly would not have been worth toughing it out this long. Even now, with my inventory dwindling, people come in daily and exclaim what a beautiful shop it is and how wonderful the “vibe” is. Lots of wonderful, kind, brilliant, curious, creative, unusual, exceptional people have crossed the threshold of my shop over these many years. They have continued to inspire me to keep going thus far. Hollywood has so much potential to be a great destination, with a high quality of life for all, but it remains neglected and under-invested in. I won’t start complaining about the state of things, but consider they are just now planning to install a single restroom for public use, a few blocks away. It will be the first one in 30 years. This in an area that needs to install one every few blocks. It doesn’t reflect a city that values the quality of life of its residents or visitors.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Finding my way as a jewelry designer:

Many years ago I embarked on a journey of self discovery
to the indescribably vast, beautiful, bountiful, magical land of my ancestors, the continent of Africa.

Kenya was my introduction to a culture and way of life that broadened my understanding of humanity and the ties that bind us as human beings. The joy I witnessed among the people there, the many kindnesses, large and small which I received and accepted with deep appreciation were truly transformative for me. The good fortune to meet and know people who had so little, willing to give so much to me, a stranger. To this day my heart swells with gratitude at the memory.

One of my greatest lessons from that time was the realization that we, here in the “developed” world, are bombarded with so many material things that we do not need. Yet the deception persists, that the source of our happiness, our value, no less, is found in the accumulation of so many of those things. This can make it very hard to parse which items are actually special and hold true, profound, lasting meaning. This sensibility is heightened considerably in our culture now, where so many things are disposable, quickly, cheaply and conveniently replaced with more and more disposable things that poison our air, land, waterways, oceans and minds with the endless pursuit to acquire the next shiny new thing, and the next, and on and on.

My inspiration to create a jewelry collection of timeless, collectible, uncommon treasures is the antidote to that thinking. The intrinsic knowing that certain objects not only radiate beauty and are visually appealing, but can be durable, non-disposable, accessible and deeply meaningful across cultures, borders and boundaries of all kinds.
Jewelry that reminds us that we share infinitely more in common than anything which would serve to divide us.

Thus was born Aklia’s.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I have learned so much from traveling, meeting and learning from other artisans whom I hold in the highest esteem.

Pricing:

• 48.00
• 95.00
• 110.00
• 375.00
• 525.00

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aklias.com
• Instagram: @akliasjewelry
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopaklias

Image Credits
Aklia Chinn
Aklia’s Jewelry