Krause Jewellers might be moving just around the corner but its space has more than doubled.
After 36 years in business across from Nolan’s Pharmasave, the building it was in was undergoing major renovations.
Not wanting to close her business during the construction, owner and goldsmith Maureen Krause saw the perfect opportunity to move when she heard about the closure of A.E. Berry Insurance in the same neighbourhood.
“When I saw it hit the paper I called Ruth and Dave right away,” said Krause of Ruth and Dave Hoyte who retired from the insurance business this winter.
“It was perfect. All we had to do was paint and beef up the security,” she said.
The showroom, which features a hot pink wall and sparkling chandeliers, is much bigger than her previous space, so she is able to add more display cases.
The room has a walk-in vault with 18-inch reinforced concrete walls that’s original to the 1931 building, which comes in handy for a jewelry business.
Krause started as an apprentice goldsmith at the age of 19 under Ron Ennis.
She eventually bought the business with her husband Harry and worked alongside him for 27 years, until he retired from the business three years ago.
It’s a fresh start for Krause and her employee Larissa Czabelli, who also happens to be her son’s girlfriend.
“It’s great moving from one heritage building to another,” said Krause. “I love the history of it.”
Her workshop is also larger, with natural light coming in from two large windows, making the area where she creates more inspirational.
“This has been my creative outlet. I do all the design end of the business,” she said.
“I love the repairs, I still love working at the bench, that and the design because I’m artistic.”
Krause enjoys working with her customers to design something special and she haunts the Internet with the help of Czabelli to gain inspiration from multiple websites.
“We can take people’s old gold - that’s the majority of our custom, people will bring in old diamonds, old gold - and we come up with these fabulous, modern designs for a reasonable price.”