CENTERSTAGE | BLACK BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
MULTIFACETED LUXURY:
JOSEPH ELLOIE BRINGS 30 YEARS OF JEWELRY MAKING TO SACRAMENTO HOW JOSEPH ELLOIE OF ELLOIE CUSTOM DESIGNED JEWELRY & REPAIR DELIVERS A HIGH-QUALITY BUSINESS TO SOUTH SACRAMENTO ONE PIECE AT A TIME. By Contributing Writer, Kelby McIntosh
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hile the artistry of jewelry crafting is a pivotal statement of historical luxury on the heads, hands, and necks of many Kings and Queens throughout history yet, to Joseph Elloie, black people have always been at the forefront of dealing in unique gemstones, fine diamonds, and precious metals. Moreover, our longstanding history as jewelers is why Joseph Elloie makes delivering high-quality jewelry work his main priority when serving the Sacramento community for all their jewelry needs. Owner and operator of Elloie Custom Designed Jewelry & Repair, located in suite 147 of The Florin Square Market Center in South Sacramento, the tenured 30-year-plus jeweler has been delivering a full-service experience to the South Sacramento community. “I’m an older man, and I could be fishing or whatever, but that’s not my passion. I’m not just focused on one area,” as he showed the different jewelry-making areas within his establishment. I understand that jewelry making requires many steps that evolve from ideas and drawings to a fine physical piece of jewelry. Getting a chance to sit with Joseph to know how he withstood an industry not so welcoming to people of color was a story that piqued my interest. | 4 2 | T H E HU B MA G A Z I N E S U M M E R 2 0 2 2
With black business Elloie Custom “It’s only limited by Design Jewelry represents what you want to something different from his contemporaries within the jewelry do or don’t want to business - he empowers his clients do.” - Joseph Elloie by keeping them informed with the knowledge they need for their jewelry needs. While some significant jewelry businesses might boil customer interactions down to a very simplified vague process, Joseph Elloie understands the hurdles he faces as a black man within the jewelry business and takes pride in every customer that walks into his business. Moreover, Joseph found a way to widen the net of his jewelry business by establishing himself as a multifaceted jewelry maker that understands the full scope of jewelry creation and repair. His passion for the craft alone is enough to get him over any hurdle; his high-quality craftsmanship has yielded an immense word-of-mouth fanbase that afforded the opportunities to evolve from working in the back of a beauty salon to his storefront in Sacramento. THE HUB: What got you started in the jewelry? ELLOIE: I worked in the department of corrections. I had the opportunity to observe a group of college students who came to the institution to introduce jewelry making to inmates. I happened to be in the area and was asked if I wanted to make a ring because I was captivated by the fact that you can take a flat piece of wax and turn it into a ring. So they walk me through the whole process of making a ring from starting as a drawing, doing wax, investing, and casting. So after experiencing that, I got the bug, and I’ve been at it ever since. I originally was located in Stockton, California had a small store across the street from the courthouse. IS S UU.C O M/ THEHUBMAG
