Approaching House of B Jewels in GlenVillage, you’ll encounter a woman at work, framed by a bounty of black and gold, her twinkling fingers meticulously hand-crafting one of a thousand personalized jewelry orders. Pausing to admire her work, Brittany Leigh, CEO and owner of House of B Jewels, holds more than a dazzling accessory in her hands, she holds a legacy of creative freedom being established for her children and generations to come.
House of B Jewels was founded in April 2014, the postbellum result of Brittany’s efforts to manifest a successful creative business that could coexist with the responsibilities of a new mother. According to Brittany, ”in the beauty industry, if you don’t work, you don’t eat,” and she was working tirelessly to take care of her family as a nail technician. She was eager to improve her lifestyle, and so, inspired by her parents who sold jewelry door to door when she was a child, Brittany tapped into her entrepreneurial spirit and determination, destined to triumph in the digital age. As a new Black woman business owner, Brittany’s biggest obstacle was a lack of connections and resources; this wasn’t a setback for long. In a short time, Brittany had earned her gemology certificate, built an online store, and created her first custom piece, the Lord and Savior, a necklace initially designed to fit her infant daughter. She got to work, promoting her glittering creations at lucrative vendors’ events along with the help of popular social media influencers. Eventually, House of B Jewels opened its first physical store in GlenVillage.
For a number of entrepreneurs, the turn of the new decade and the recent pandemic brought unforeseen challenges as well as new avenues of advancement. In 2020, Brittany found herself overwhelmed with a tidal wave of new clients and a brand new storefront to run, “the world shut down and everyone started shopping,” she half-jokingly recalls. A great societal shift shaped by online consumers had exponentially increased her sales. Brittany was literally putting thousands of pieces together in her living room and shipping out orders in the middle of the night. Today, Brittany’s goals for House of B Jewels have evolved beyond those of a budding side hustle. She hopes to open at least 3 more stores with additional staffing, whose support would allow Brittany more creative freedom to conceptualize and create original, fine gold pieces. Visit House of B Jewels at 1400 E 105th Street in GlenVillage, on Instagram @houseofbjewels, or at houseofbjewels.com to add a personalized, glamorous flare to your jewelry collection!
Throughout GlenVillage’s main corridor, the voices of its individual artisans intertwine and echo, salutations and “how are you’s” tinged with tenderness meet belly laughter and the smooth chorus of “You’re Still A Young Man” by Tower Power. At the center of this orchestral aurora, the warm, golden glow of iSpecz Eyewear, owned and operated by optician Olympia Robinson, entices one to mingle with its welcoming energy and a promise of stylish, quality vision wear for East Cleveland’s residents.
iSpecz Eyewear has been situated at GlenVillage for only a short time, but its founder Olympia Robinson has been immersed in ophthalmology and eyecare for close to two decades. Having worked with a medical ophthalmologist after school as a youth, Olympia received a firsthand experience of the authenticity and the expertise required to service people’s eyes very early on. Having accumulated years of knowledge under her belt already, Olympia decided that she would rather design, fit, and distribute corrective lenses as an optician. With a focus on specialized, personable care and education, Olympia is able to establish meaningful connections to inspire clients of all ages and backgrounds. A native of East Cleveland, she attributes her wide range of clientele to the power of word of mouth and reputation in her lifelong community. Along with local eyecare services, iSpecz provides unique, designer frames from brands like Lacoste, Nike, and Swarovski.
In 2020 and throughout the beginning of the pandemic, iSpecz saw tremendous growth. Stuck inside, consumers found themselves turning to small businesses for services that had become unavailable in big box stores. “Lots of people were breaking their glasses while they were quarantined,” Olympia shares with a laugh, “especially if they had kids!” This momentum has followed iSpecz into the new decade, and Olympia’s goals have expanded with her business. Investing in new optical technology, Olympia hopes to set up shop in a larger space so that she can fit all of her new equipment in it. This will allow her to cut prescription lenses on site as well as repair and fit frames with a faster turnover rate. In the years to come, Olympia would like to see substantial economic growth in East Cleveland, hoping that housing development will bring entrepreneurs and a fresh, revitalized culture within her beloved community. Connect with iSpecz Eyewear at 1400 E 105th Street in GlenVillage, on Instagram @i_specz, or at ispeczeyewear.com. You’re guaranteed an enriching experience and an extraordinary pair of glasses