On U Jewelry relocates to Grove Avenue - Richmond.com
Donna and Greg Silvestri have moved their On U Jewelry store, featuring Donna’s handmade necklaces and other pieces, to 5707 Grove Ave., near the intersection of Libbie and Grove avenues.
They relocated from Patterson Avenue, where they worked out of a house and had retail hours by appointment only.
“This is nicer,” Donna Silvestri said.
“Two-thirds of it is retail space, and one-third of it is workspace,” Greg Silvestri said. Their new space was formerly used by Collared Greens menswear shop, which moved to Short Pump Town Center.
Donna Silvestri is the main designer of the pieces created with beads, vintage finds and antique buttons, but the business has some subcontractors.
“I make things that I love. And when our customers and fellow Richmonders see what I am wearing, they kind of gravitate towards it,” she said.
Those pieces include a unique tiered necklace she calls Lucca. A collection called Dots features necklaces with tiny stones and beads. They are popular with teenagers who like to buy multiples and layer them, she said.
Silvestri, who has a background in fashion design, also makes items to customer specifications. She has been making jewelry since she was a teen, she said. Many of the trinkets and other materials used in the jewelry designs have been purchased during the Silvestris’ travels around the globe.
“The beautiful thing about those travels is that it also inspires through going into different towns and shopping not only the markets but the stores to see what is trending,” Greg Silvestri said.
With the additional retail space, the business has added some other product lines, including handbags by Julie Bruner’s Lemolade Leather Co., greeting cards by Visual Treats, pottery and other home accessories.
