From farmer’s markets to brick and mortar
Lori Gosse, owner of Lori & Co answers 20 questions
If you told local business owner Lori Gosse when she was in university that someday she would have her own brick-and-mortar store, she wouldn't have believed you.
Gosse started making jewelry in 2016 while studying psychology at Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN).
"I thought I was going to be a professional counsellor. I thought I was going to have my own practice," Gosse said.
JEWELRY BY LORI
Her business at the time was called Jewelry by Lori. She made everything by hand at her parent's house and sold her products online and at local markets.
Gosse said it just felt right. "I got my degree anyways, but I was always vibing more with making jewelry," she said.
After graduation, Gosse continued making jewelry, and her business continued to grow.
"I just started outgrowing places," she said.
Gosse knew it was time to expand when she started tripping over boxes at a pop-up shop.
"I hired people and then Jewelry by Lori kind of didn't make sense anymore cause I have people with me and everyone's being called Lori," said Gosse.
LORI & CO
In February 2022, Jewelry by Lori became Lori & Co. That spring, Gosse opened her first bricks and mortar store.
Since then, Lori & Co has continued to be successful. Known to offer trendy jewelry that doesn't tarnish, Gosse has added other products to her selection over the last couple of years.
"I added embroidery and other local products because not everyone wears jewlery," she said.
Her jewelry is still wildly popular.
"We use stainless steel. Most of our bases for the jewelry and even the gold jewelry is stainless steel, but 18K gold plated," she said. "If it tarnishes, it's unacceptable, we won't sell it."
ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW
Lori & Co is always working on something new.
They drop new products every week, and last winter, they started offering permanent jewelry. They became the first business in the province to offer the service.
"We started that last January. It's been super popular," Gosse said.
"People come in and they can come in with a friend. They come in with a group or on their own and get a custom-fit bracelet or anklet.
It's a nice personal service," she said.
The idea came from Tiktok.
"People were sending us Tiktoks from a place in Toronto that was doing it. It looked really cool," she said.
Tiktok is a tool Lori & Co has used to their advantage.
Gosse said it can be hit or miss, but when it works, it works well.
"Tiktok is good for reaching people that you might not normally reach," she said. "We've had a few orders from the states in the last month, and we know it's from Tiktok."
The store has even had some viral moments.
"We've had a few videos that blown up," said Gosse.
One video was about their hand-stamped necklaces.
"I was on the floor hammering it and people died for that. I'm literally on my hands and knees, hammering a necklace, but people would come in for weeks after asking for that necklace because it had their initials on it," she said.
BRIGHT FUTURE
Lori & Co's store is on 60 Hamlyn Road in St. John's. Gosse now has a team of five people. "It's been a journey since 2016, which is almost ten years now," she said.
Gosse is looking forward to where the future will take her business.