This October we were very honored to have awesome writer Sandy Abrams cover Classic Hardware, our 20 years serving up Class and Sass, new store opening, inspirations and influences in business! Check out Karyn’s interview below or here at the original post on the official MAGIC blog.

BEHIND THE BOOTH Classic Hardware Founder: Karyn Cantor

by by Sandy Abrams

It takes a unique sense of creativity and confidence to cobble together items like broken rosary beads and various supplies from hardware and thrift stores and create coveted pieces, but these random combinations are what set Karyn Cantor’s Classic Hardware apart.

She’s been making her own unique pieces since she was kid and launched  Classic Hardware in 1995, expanding into to a whole line  of unique jewelry  and accessories. Karyn also opened a retail store this year. It’s been a  passionate journey, not only creatively but  as a long time supporter of Made in  USA.

She began her business in San Francisco selling to some retailers on Haight St.  and then got into American Rag and quickly gained  traction  with big accounts  like Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Macys, Nordstrom and custom design  work for designers Betsy  Johnson and  Anna Sui.

 Strong Work Ethic

Ever since childhood, Karyn wanted to work, getting her first job at age   13.  She continued to work part time jobs through high  school. After college, she  worked in photography and photo labs, as an account exec., and studio  manager. This is where she  learned hands-on about running a small business.

Unlike many creative types, Karyn has a strong grasp on both design and business.  She enjoys reading business books for both  insight and inspiration. After enrolling in a business course and learning about cost analysis and profit margins, she realized that she had to be a bookkeeper whether she wanted to or not. Karyn says, “Numbers don’t lie and it can actually be fun. The smartest thing I did was decide to run my business as if I were a film director. So, the star of the film can act, but she doesn’t know make up and costume design. Those roles have to be filled by other people. When it was possible, I began to fill roles with others who had strong skills where I was weak. Being able to let go of business aspects is tough but critical. We can’t control every aspect of a business that’s growing fast. If you can train someone well, they can do it too.”

Karyn’s grateful that she learned the biz skills and was able to recover from a ‘bad book keeper experience.’ She still does checks and balances herself, keeping a second set of eyes on everything.

Jewelry Capital of USA: Rhode Island 

After gaining exposure in big chains like Urban Outfitter and Anthropologie, Karyn experienced cheap overseas imitations invading her space. But her passion for supporting her USA vendors was unwavering. She wasn’t going to change her process. Karyn says, “Rhode Island is the costume jewelry capital of the USA. I’ve been working with the same vendors from there since I started.  Rhode Island is definitely having struggles because of the exodus to China, but I’m determined to continue to support these family run businesses.”

Benefits of MADE in USA

Not only is supporting local businesses important to Karyn, but she sees other benefits to Made in USA. “The quality is better,  it’s easier to follow a product through production, I can get things completed in a timely manner, keep inventory tight and there’s rarely a problem with a product, but if there is, it’s easily remedied locally and quickly. With my long term relationships, I know these small businesses truly care about our product.”

Innovation+Expansion

One way to continue to grow a business is through innovation. Karyn began to  expand into accessories,  metal boxes,  card cases, t-shirts, towels and one big hit was  their tampon cases. Karyn says, “It was something different. Our  tagline was ‘It’s  neat to be discreet.’ Uncommon Goods loved them and that took  things in a new  direction for us.  Classic Hardware wasn’t just jewelry.”

“I also started working with contemporary and pop culture artists. Now, I work with  about 15 artists and  utilize their  artwork to put on products. It’s a great collaboration  for artists; exposing them to another  audience, while we bring  something unique,  affordable and fun to the market. It’s a win-win.”

Karyn also saw an opportunity to innovate with bakelite, an older type of plastic,  circa 1920, no longer  produced  because of it’s high content of formaldehyde. But  it’s highly collectible. Karyn says, “ I came up  with way to  emulate it and coined the  name ‘Retrolite.’ That was a big milestone and a signature product  element for  Classic Hardware.”

This year Karyn took a leap of faith by opening a retail store, in a time when many  businesses preach the  benefits of  closing their brick and mortar in favor of online  sales.

 Customer Service is Alive & Well!

The storefront location seemed to fit perfectly, located in Burbank’s Magnolia Park in  an area called Retro Row. Karyn opened the store in 2014 and is thoroughly enjoying  the connection she makes with customers every day. She thrives on offering top notch  customer service and customization options.

“Having the store is a great opportunity to play with design flair too. The store has  pink and purple striped walls! It’s also a great opportunity to bring in other  company’s products, items that I personally love but don’t have to make. The  amazing thing about the store is the immediate feedback that I get. Being a wholesaler for 20 yrs., I’ve mostly heard feedback through our reps or at trade shows and it’s not necessarily enough.”

Karyn enjoys interacting with customers and taking requests on the spot. If you like a pendant at the store but want to tweak it, just ask! If someone likes a bracelet but they’d prefer it to be a necklace, she’ll make one. She says, “People feel special, they can get a piece exactly how they want it. We offer personal attention that you just can’t get online. We can also do custom/personalized work for people from one piece to many. People can bring in (or send) a picture of their pet and we can mount it in a necklace, the options are limitless.”

Karyn also notices that being connected directly with her customers lets her see who the end user is and it’s frequently different than she’s imagined. “Maybe the customer likes a piece simply because it’s a little different or unique but they aren’t creating a whole subculture look for themselves, they just want that one piece. I still feel giddy when people buy something and I see that it makes them smile. It can really make my day.”

Designer Collaborations

Karyn started working with Betsey Johnson in the late 90’s, selling her designs to Betsey Johnson’s store and then she started doing different designs just for them. Designer Anna Sui also had a love for Classic Hardware. Karyn has also designed custom pieces for benefits and causes and done licensed work on Disney’s Nightmare Before Christmas and Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland film, as well as custom pieces for the Sailor Jerry (a tattoo artist) brand and Nancy Drew.

Collaborating has been great for both sides. Karyn says, “The collaborating companies see the benefit of being associated with Classic Hardware’s quality brand and Made in USA is a bonus, especially with original artwork from artists. Making it in the USA helps protect the likelihood of knockoffs being made quickly overseas.” She welcomes other custom collaborations. “Collaborations are an image based business, it’s easy for us to insert those images into our pieces or develop a new piece, if they meet a minimum production requirement.”

MAGIC Offers Community

Karyn says, “I’ve always been a huge fan of fashion and clothing and it’s been great to be part of the alternative section at MAGIC. I’ve been there since the 90’s, in an area that was originally called the Edge. Now, we exhibit in Juniors/Subculture area. It’s high energy being around like minded brands and styles.”

In It For the Long Haul

Karyn’s very candid and open about how business has been rough at times but she loves what she does, so she rolls through changes with innovation, passion and persistence. “Jewelry is a saturated market but we are unique. Opening the store has been wonderful! It’s like having a new baby. I’m really enjoying this stage!”

After 20 yrs. of building Classic Hardware, Karyn still has the excitement of an emerging brand. She doesn’t rest on her laurels, she’s constantly finding new ways to keep things fresh and new. The store adds the personal connection that seems to have been the one missing link.

4 FUN FACTS:

What are you reading?  Delivering Happiness Tony Hsieh.

What do you do to de-stress?  I love to travel and visiting other stores is inspiring…and the trailer rally is so fun! (Karyn has a vintage trailer)

What is non-negotiable in your daily/weekly schedule? Exercise.

Who inspires you in biz?  Oprah Winfrey and Dolly Parton.

Jewelry display in stores and even at home can be a fun process but it helps to have some design inspiration from time to time. At Classic Hardware, we do trade shows and craft fairs. We find it easier to pin everything on our display boards for easy travel and quick set up. However, if you have a store and some space to create and spread out your jewelry and accessories, it can add a dimensional quality that is very appealing to your customers. I like using vintage finds such as books, plates, small drawers, boxes and suitcases. A great place to find these items are flea markets and yard sales. If you prefer modern fixtures, there are lots of display companies out there, like Acme Display or Rio Grande .

Below are some ideas Classic Hardware has used:

Here are some images of how we have been featured in stores:

One last thing, we just posted a step by step video on YouTube about how to create a display from a vintage frame. If you have any display ideas, please send them to us!

Last Thursday night I was watching Project Runway and was so excited to see Anna Sui as the guest judge! She is one of my favorite designers.  Her line is fun, modern and well made with a great retro flair (be it the 40s, 60s or Edwardian) and a laid back rock and roll romanticism. Her use of color and mix of patterns are always creative and unexpected. Plus, she stays true to her classic black and cream palette that is timeless.

I was even more excited when I realized she was wearing a Classic Hardware necklace on the show.  It was a double star necklace I had created for her a couple of years ago. She has told me that she wears Classic Hardware on a regular basis and has bought my necklaces for her runway models as gifts and also for her store. I feel very honored to have such an amazing designer, who I admire so much, enjoy my work as well. Anna Sui Rocks!!! Check out her work HERE.

I was fortunate enough to attend a couple of her runway shows. New York Fashion Week is this week. Her Spring 2013 show is this coming Wednesday. Check it out HERE.

Anna Sui going Classic

Anna on the judges panel

Me with Anna in her Soho store

Last weekend we had a booth at the Hootenanny in Orange County, as we do every year. Once again it was a great show with tons of bands and loads of people. It was really nice to meet up with our customers and friends. My fave bands of the day were Old Man Markly, The Supersuckers, The Reverend Horton Heat and of course, Rancid.

The following day we went to Crafted at the Port of Los Angeles. Some great crafts and a cool space. Inspiring stuff! Check it out!

It was recently brought to my attention that there is an overseas company operating a website in England, who is knocking off many of the vintage repro dress designers here in the USA.

In the case of Trashy Diva they not only stole their designs, they also used Trashy Diva’s pictures straight from their website.  Please read their blog here for more details.

We love Trashy Diva clothes and their stores in New Orleans, LA. Their quality is impeccable and their designs are gorgeous. Plus they are super sweet!  At Classic Hardware we produce and believe in US made products  and admire our friends and business associates that do the same!

Me with Candace the lovely owner and designer of Trashy Diva

This coming Saturday evening, some really great musicians are performing at Viva Cantina, here in lovely Burbank, CA. Exene Cervenka from one of my all time favorite bands, X, will be performing with another LA based fave, Phil Alvin of The Blasters. In addition, Petunia and the Vipers who have been making their way down from Canada a fair amount lately (and gaining quite a following here), are Headlining the bill. They could simply be defined as roots music but I much prefer the writer’s description here:

“Imagine that David Lynch and Nick Cave had a hillbilly baby. A hillbilly baby that yodeled. That’s Petunia. Now imagine he’s backed by a band whose talents match his own. That would be the Vipers. Imagine that man and that band can step onstage and hold a crowd in thrall song after song, until the last note fades away, and that would be Petunia and the Vipers” –  Cascadia Weekly, Bellingham, WA

– Not to mention their super cool look and style which can also be seen in their video here. Check out their site to see when they are making it out your way.

Also this Saturday is another great “goings on” in LA. The Chit Chat Club, is a once a month club that mainly hosts swing style bands. It takes place in the beautiful and historical Park Plaza Hotel, originally an Elk’s Lodge built in 1925, it later became a venue where I saw quite a few punk rock shows in the 1980’s (kind of a fancy place for punk shows). I’m glad to see it back in swing again (literally), check out their schedule here.