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They Come For A String Of Reasons

CANDACE C. MUNDY/TAMPA TRIBUNE PHOTO

Strands and strands of beads hang for sale at iB Bead Warehouse, 6001 Benjamin Road. Shoppers Kim Borrego and Shelley McEvoy search for their needs in the background.

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By ANGELA DELGADO, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 3, 2007

Updated: 11/01/2007 08:46 pm

Additional Photos

TOWN 'N COUNTRY - Joe DiPaula didn't grow up dreaming of owning a bead distribution business, and he doesn't romanticize the reason why he bought The Bead Warehouse a little more than a year ago.

When it comes down to it, it was an established business, and for the experienced salesman, retail is retail.

"I just feel a retail market is all the same, no matter what you sell, and this was an opportunity that would be good for me and my family," he said.

The Bead Warehouse, 6001 Benjamin Road, was opened six years ago by a different owner, but they sold to DiPaula in August due to health reasons.

The store is a direct distributor for Swarovski crystals, gold and silver, precious gems, pearls and any type of bead for fine jewelry, DiPaula said. DiPaula has a $1 million inventory on hand.

Regardless of how he began selling beads, DiPaula puffs up with pride when he talks about his business's good reputation and customer service. When anyone buys from the store's Web site, ibead.com, DiPaula sends them a personally signed letter thanking them for their purchase.

The Bead Warehouse also contributes money to local baseball teams, churches and fundraisers, DiPaula said.

He also has beading classes in the store for beginning, intermediate and advanced beaders.

"Once a person loves the hobby, they want to take more classes and buy more beads," he said. "It becomes almost an addiction. Some people make jewelry for their own personal needs or some actually make the jewelry to sell.

On Wednesday, half a dozen women were taking a beginners class at the store. Most made necklaces and/or earrings out of anything from wooden beads to Swarovski crystals; anything and everything that could be purchased at the store.

Barbara Peck of Town 'N Country and Charley Goldman of Carrollwood were making pieces to sell for charity. Peck, a customer at the store since 2001, was making them for the U.S. Postal Service's Combined Federal Campaign. Goldman, a first-time customer, made her jewelry for a silent auction to benefit Chrysalis House, a halfway house.

People visit the warehouse for various reasons, be it to keep up with a hobby, sell the jewelry for charity or make a gift.

Kim Borrego of New Port Richey had been to the store only twice, and she went there because of her friend Roseann Fessler of Spring Hill. Fessler was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and Borrego wanted to show her encouragement.

Borrego made 11 bracelets out of purple cat's eye, pearls and crystal bicones. The purple cat's eye was symbolic because purple is the color for pancreatic cancer, she said. The bracelets also have a sterling silver cancer ribbon. Borrego plans to add a "made with love" charm to Fessler's bracelet.

Borrego's inspiration for the bracelets she made came from the numerous plastic bracelets commonly sold for various charities.

"I wanted us to have something a little nicer that would last what she's going through and beyond," she said. "Something that would mean something."

Employees at the store helped her make her friend's bracelet during her two-hour stay at The Bead Warehouse.

"They are very helpful," she said.

Helpful and friendly are two things DiPaula strives for. He has a children's play area for kids who couldn't care less about beads, and he provides free Starbucks coffee for customers. Although he is focused on selling high-quality beads, the customers he sells them to are top priority.

"My goal is to make my customers and employees part of my life for a lifetime," he said.

THE BEAD WAREHOUSE

LOCATION: 6001 Benjamin Road, Town 'N Country

HOURS: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday

INFORMATION: (813) 243-8857 or www.ibead.com

Reporter Angela Delgado can be reached at (813) 865-1501 or adelgado@tampatrib.com.

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