CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT: Caravan Beads

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Caravan Beads was started on the sun porch of Barry and Jean's house, in March of 1991. With their neighbors Joe and Carolyn, they founded a tiny 'store' that was only open on Saturdays and had an inventory that fit inside a couple of suitcases. Jean and Carolyn had fallen in love with making beaded jewelry but there were no nearby bead stores to shop at. The first inventory of the store was two paper sandwich bags from a nearby gem show.

Because of wonderful local support and loyal customers, Caravan Beads grew and in the summer of 1994 we launched our mail-order department and began to train customers how to open new bead stores around the country. Our web site (caravanbeads.com) went live in October of 1995, and one month later we received our first ever shipment from Miyuki Co., Ltd. We now supply beads to stores, jewelry designers, and creative people from all over the world.

We have continued to expand our selection of Miyuki beads to include almost every color of Delica bead, as well as the majority of Miyuki seed beads. We have also developed C-lon beading thread and cord in a rainbow of colors to compliment every beading project. We recently also launched a line of original jewelry kits complete with all the supplies and instructions you need!

Our design team works to create free projects each month to help keep all of our customers inspired. From easy to make earrings to complex bead-woven projects, there are techniques and projects for all skill levels.

As small business owners we are lucky to have many employees who stay with us for years or even decades. Many of our employees bring their dogs to work with them. We are proud to work with local programs to employ refugees and people with developmental differences.  All of our jewelry design, web design, graphic design and marketing are done in-house by our passionate and creative staff.

Since the early days of the business, Portland, Maine has become a flourishing destination for foodies & beer-lovers as well as bead lovers! Portland is a historic seacoast town with a working waterfront and is full of galleries, one-of-a-kind shops, and award-winning restaurants. We are a member of Portland Buy Local, an independent business and community alliance. Our retail store frequently hosts special events for Bead Societies in Maine and New England. We love meeting customers from near and far. We hope you'll take the opportunity to visit us someday if you are passing through Maine.

Be sure to like and follow Caravan Beads on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook!

Market Price 03/28/2024 EST: 

Sterling Silver: $24.51

Gold: $2192.70

Wholesale jewelry supply sells findings to the trade and specializes in wholesale beads and jewelry making supplies. Our wholesale jewelery findings and bead supplies are of the finest quality with rock bottom prices and personalized customer service that can't be rivaled. Supplying the world in the  wholesale jewellery supply trade for over 30 years! 


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