Today we’d like to introduce you to Annmarie D’Ercole.
Annmarie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started taking courses at a local college at the age of 19 and for Christmas, I thought it would be fun to make everyone necklaces. I turned it into a business when strangers began asking where they could buy my pieces and from there, it evolved into fine jewelry and just kept growing! At one point, I had a wholesale studio and sold for a few boutiques but quickly realized I wanted to focus on retail and designing. So for 20 years, I have owned and operated a high-end boutique in the exclusive Del Mar, CA, area, where I helped to pioneer a new type of retail experience that combines jewelry and clothing.
When I lost my father, I noticed that many of my close friends didn’t always know what to say or do. That gave me the idea to partner with my husband Cory Brzezinski and our longtime friend, Josh Robbins, to create a jewelry concept steeped in the universal language of love. I have always been passionate about working with local charities so when Josh approached me with the Love Grenades concept, I knew this was a project I had to be a part of. Love Grenades offers an affordable way to say you care. When you give a piece of Love Grenades jewelry, one small gesture becomes that much bigger, spreading light and love to all in its path. Jewelry is both a symbol and an expression. With Love Grenades, a beautiful necklace, bracelet, or pair of earrings is more than a fashion statement—it serves as a constant physical reminder of the wearer’s strength and resilience. Love Grenades is jewelry meant to inspire you to live out love and kindness in your home and community.
When my team was deciding which charity we could partner with, we came across Operation Underground Railroad. Immediately we knew we wanted to be a part of this involved organization’s mission to help rescue children from sex trafficking.
After teaming up with O.U.R. we decided to dedicate our Love Grenades Tungsten Carbide dog tag specifically to O.U.R. to make the Sound of Freedom dog tag. For every 30 Sound of Freedom dog tags sold, we can rescue one child from sex trafficking plus provide necessary aftercare. Every dog tag purchased is a step towards ending sex trafficking, the fastest growing criminal enterprise worldwide!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Having a family and two kids while trying to grow a business was not easy. There were points where I could have grown my business faster, but I also wanted to focus on my kids and staying family-oriented. My husband and I took a lot of baby steps and it paid off. Now I have a grown an amazing business with a great following in Southern California.
I explored plenty of different ways to expand the business that did not always work out throughout the way. It was discouraging but I knew I had to persevere and have faith that it was all leading me to where I was supposed to be.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Love Grenades – what should we know?
I think a strength of mine is staying informed on trends over time and adapting my designs as needed, which is part of the reason why I think I’ve been able to build such a loyal following over the past 20 years. I have clients that might visit town only once a year, but still make it a point to come visit my shop and that loyalty speaks volumes to me and the brand I have been able to build.
When I meet with my customers to make custom designs, I truly take the time to understand my client’s vision and I take pride in that. My customers get amazing jewelry designs at a great price. I am very passionate about working with precious metals, rose quarts, and the energy behind natural stones which make up some of my staple pieces and I think that sets my designs apart.
I started out with a credit card that had a $1,000 limit and being as young as I was, it makes me proud to look back and see how my business has continued to grow and evolve. Then with the help of my husband Cory, we were able to make it a family business which is something we are so proud to be able to say.
We started from nothing and have seen continuous growth over the past 20 years. Now, looking back and seeing how far we have come in addition to being able to give back to charities is so rewarding. I take pride in treating people and customers how I would want to be treated, which is also why I am so happy to be involved in Love Grenades.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Family played a huge role in our success – both my husband and I come from large families. I am Italian, so there are five of us and Cory comes from a big family as well. The constant support from the entire family is incredible, they come purchase jewelry and they are always there for our events. They get so excited for our plans and serve as a constant positive reinforcement for us. My dad owned some pizzerias in Greenwich Village and he had an amazing business mindset. I enjoyed watching my dad run the business while also having a family, so I get a lot of my drive and inspiration from him.
My clientele has also been extremely loyal over the years and with so many rough patches with the economy, it was really family, friends and loyal clientele who supported us most.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lovegrenades.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shoplovegrenades/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/shoplovegrenades/about/?ref=page_internal
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/shoplovegrenade
- Other: http://www.freedomdogtag.com/
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