This Sunday, two young women entrepreneurs will bring their new business idea, and a wide array of fabulous jewelry, to Bowen Island.
One of the business partners is Danielle Allan who grew up on Bowen. "I graduated from UBC in December and currently work on two projects," she said. "I started doing administrative consulting for small businesses but I also wanted to do something together with my friend Rayka [Kumru] who is an international student from UBC." The idea took shape last summer when the two friends met up for a week in Istanbul. "We toured the city and Rayka took me to a jewelry stall in the grand bazaar," Allan said. "She always takes her friends to the one supplier where she has been shopping for six years. We sat down to drink tea and discuss the prices and I bought a couple of pieces."
Allan went away with two beautiful turquoise rings. "The rings are very beautiful and I am always showing them off to people," she said. "The supplier carries a lot of older and one of a kind pieces that are really special."
Allan and Kumru had been planning to become business partners and Kumru went back to the supplier over the Christmas holidays. "She talked to him and he said he would be happy to get us started here," Allan said. "In the beginning, we are selling the jewelry at home parties because we are trying to make it an experience that is similar to the one in the bazaar. I am fascinated by how they do business there. The relationship is really important. To see how much trust is there, is also unique."
Allan and Kumru are bringing pieces of gold and silver-plated jewelry with semi-precious stones to Canada. They will be holding their first SAF Turkish Jewelry Showcase on Bowen Island on Sunday, April 15, from 2 to 7 p.m. at Allan's family home at 600 Berry Road, Cates Hill. They will serve tea and Turkish delight and play melodies from the East, aiming to provide a "grand bazaar shopping experience." Allan says that Bowen is "the test run" and plans more shows in Vancouver.
"Administrative consulting is my personal business," Allan said. "And the jewelry business happened at same time. I guess it's because I wanted to try out the entrepreneurial side and see how that went." Allan has taken entrepreneurial courses at UBC and is looking forward to the two different experiences: the work with clients when she is consulting and running a retail business.
For more information on the jewelry and the show, contact [email protected].
