Saratoga Springs jewelry shop embraces 'dark' aesthetic
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Dark Gem Shoppe, a jewelry and gift store, officially opened its doors at 30 Beekman Street in June. Owner Jessica Boshek said her customers describe her shop as "different," and that's exactly what she's going for.
The Dark Gem Shoppe sells jewelry, accessories, candles, bath and body products, home décor, and crystals, as well as jewelry-making supplies. Boshek can also make custom jewelry for customers, make simple jewelry repairs and reimagine customers' old jewelry.
Boshek started making jewelry while she was in college and began working at a bead store in Troy called Dana Rudolph and Co. Rudolph taught her jewelry-making techniques and how to run a small business. When Randolph decided to move to Florida, she wanted Boshek to buy the store. "I was only 24 at the time so I didn’t think I could do it," said Boshek.
Boshek said she continued to make jewelry under her business name Boshek Designs. In 2018, she decided to go back to college. While in class one day, Boshek said she went into cardiac arrest and was in a coma for four days. "The doctors couldn’t figure out why a 35-year-old’s heart just stopped so they put in an ICD, implanted cardiac defibrillator," said Boshek.
After that, she helped local jewelry designer Saroj Murarka with her work. Boshek said Murarka wanted her to buy the business, but she declined. Murarka passed away in 2021 and Randolph passed in 2018, said Boshek.
"After the passing of my mentors and my own close encounter, I needed to stop wasting time," said Boshek. "If I fail, I fail. It would be worse to never try."
Boshek found the space at 30 Beekman Street and opened in November 2021, but she found that the space for too small to hold events. She then acquired the space next door. The shop moved into the larger space and the smaller space became the event and class area.
Boshek said her store has a "witchy, gothic, steampunk, sci-fi kind of vibe." After being "brought back from the dead," she decided to embrace this "dark" aesthetic.
"People think dark means evil," said Boshek. "In my opinion, there is beauty in darkness. I wouldn’t have my cardiac arrest not happen because it changed not only my life but my family's. Some family members that hadn’t spoken for almost 10 years rekindled their relationships. My brother met his significant other because of it. Some people became more aware of how fragile life is and more understanding."
Unfortunately, Boshek said the store has had some problems with shoplifters. Twice she noticed something had been stolen in the first three months the store was open.
"We are a small business, said Boshek. "I either personally made the item or picked it out myself so I am very aware of my inventory."
The first time, she caught the person outside her store and got the item back but didn't press charges. Boshek said she was not able to identify the second person, but she found that they actually broke the item by ripping the tag off.
Since the thefts, Bochek said they have amped up their security cameras to prevent shoplifting. "It's very discouraging to have theft," said Boshek. "We are a small business struggling to make it. I’m realizing now that this could be an ongoing thing so I will not let it go next time."
The Dark Gem Shoppe offers jewelry-making classes, as well as Design and Wine, or Design and Dine events. These are like paint-and-sip events, but instead of painting, you design your own jewelry. Boshek also hopes to accommodate people that don’t drink alcohol, so she is hoping to partner with some local restaurants and have food instead.
The Dark Gem Shoppe is open from noon to 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday. You can also check out the store's merchandise on the Dark Gem Shoppe website.