Encourage guests to treat themselves by sharing a bit of information about jewelry and offering a variety with a balance between affordability and quality.
What began as a surfing themed cafe called Point Break has evolved into today’s Blue Room Gallery and Gift Shop in Bethany Beach, Delaware, where proprietor Clare Conley brings a fine arts eye to jewelry selection, offering a range of pieces within reach for vacationers.
At first, the gallery consumed a loft in the cafe and Conley introduced fine art pieces. The shop grew a following, so when Conley found a kitschy storefront two blocks from Bethany Beach, she jumped at the opportunity to expand — and eventually rebrand, following the recession.
“I had to reinvent the shop, so I went toward a high-end gift shop and took out the fine art,” says Conley, adding that Blue Room’s top-selling pieces include vintage Beach Town Posters. Jewelry is No. 2.
“Jewelry is a big seller,” adds Conley, relating that about 70% of guests are buying pieces to treat themselves and the rest are hunting for gifts. The target demographic for this category spans the ages, starting with teens.
 Blue Room uses space-saving displays to showcase its popular jewelry offerings. photos: Laura Navarre Teens go for nature-inspired earrings featuring turtles, snakes, horses and crabs. Beaded friendship bracelets by Pink House go fast.
Proximity to the beach and the walkable downtown main drag draw in guests. Conley capitalizes on the location by creating a whimsical surfer vibe. (Blue Room is when surfers are in a barrel, tube-like wave.)
“All ages love the shop,” she says of the store, adding that there’s always some kind of Cajun, blues and reggae music playing in the background.
She says, “My store is welcoming, bright, fun, whimsical and we always have a good time here.”
Bubbling with baublesBlue Room Gallery and Gift Shop features many American-made jewelry lines including Semaki & Bird, which offers nature-themed sterling-silver earrings. “The artist puts them on cards that describe what the earring is along with the drawing,” she explains.
While Conley generally gravitates toward coastal motifs for jewelry, some customers want to mix it up, so she includes some florals, as well. Also, a pair of dainty stainless-steel rose studs by Semaki & Bird is mounted to a fold-over illustrative card with educational information about the flower on the back.
“My store is welcoming, bright, fun, whimsical and we always have a good time here.” — Clare Conley
The Crossroads line Blue Room carries includes beaded choker necklaces, some in vibrant rainbow colors and others in subtle sea hues such as mint, oyster and a glistening white. Each features a motif charm.
Sterling silver and gem earrings by Baked Beads are mostly in shades of blue. They include star designs, a tree of life motif and zany bumblebees. Other jewelry offerings include mixed-metal sterling silver cuffs from Pink House and the brand’s complementary rings. Conley also carries dichroic (color changing) glass rings.
 Coastal colors and sea glass themes are popular on jewelry at Blue Room. “We try for items that strike a balance between quality and affordability,” Conley says, adding, “It’s tricky.”
This season, the gift shop will push its price ceiling higher while continuing with mainstay brands like Seaglass by White Light Productions. The spinning racks of colorful, ocean-inspired baubles are a perennial favorite, Conley says.
Meanwhile, a glass case will hold new jewelry pieces from an artist who produces silver and gold vermeil pieces in the $200 range. The Potomac-based brand The Silver Root pieces are “very elegant and stylish,” says Conley.
A summer spaceSummer is prime time at Blue Room Gallery and Gift Shop. Wake-up calls are at dawn so Conley can neaten up the shop, restock and place orders if needed. “We are 100% a summer resort, though fall is picking up more,” Conley says.
With 500 square feet of shop floor to maximize, Conley leverages space-saving displays and likes to keep jewelry presentation looking “full” but not cluttered.
Where Conley places jewelry in the shop stays consistent year to year — and she has many return vacationing guests who make a tradition of stopping to see what’s new.
 Semaki & Bird takes inspiration from nature with its jewelry, which comes on artfully designed cards. When guests show interest in pieces, Conley likes to share some information about the brand or artist while giving customers space to shop on their own. Just as with providing a variety of value and treat-yourself items, “There’s a balance between providing insight about the products without being too pushy,” she says.
As Conley approaches her 31st season of business, she’s inspired by new products in the market and her customers, who she listens to when they ask for something so she can offer what’s in demand.
She says, “Our longevity definitely brings people in, and so does the coastal surfer vibe — we just have fun!”
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