b'THE MEXICANJ eweler Supriya Kapur technically didJ SUKAYEWELRSHACK name her business after herself, but notGlen Rock, New JerseySomers, New York in the traditional sense.She opened her Glen Rock, New Jersey, store in 2016 as Rock Road Jewelry, a nod to the(street on which the store is located. PhotT he Mexican Shack is set to close itsKapur wasnt the only business owner with that idea, though, aso credit: many stores on that particular road had rock in their name. Aa ln i Sm idoors this fall after nearly 50 yearsShe and her partner decided it was time for a rebrand, so she ) c iin business, but an unconventionallooked to her name as inspiration.name may keep its spirit alive. Taking the first two letters of her first and last name, Suka was born.Owner Steve Delzio went on an excur- Our customers love the name Suka. sion out west in 1973, a young, adventurousIts a bolder and fresher step [up] from our Rock man excited to learn more about NativeOur customers loveRoad Jewelry name, says Kapur. Its a conversation American and Mexican culture. the name Suka. Its astarter.When his parents 25th anniversaryconversation starter.Kapur recalls a funny interaction with one cus-celebration beckoned him back to his Supriya Kapurtomer, an interior designer of Russian descent who hometown of Somers, New York, he tookresponded to the stores name with a playful grin.his treasures with him. Do you know what that means in Russian? she asked Kapur.As it turns out, the jewelry stores name is pronounced just like the Russian word Its just a very uniquefor bitch, cyka. business, very, very unique.Now whenever we have a customer who is familiar with the Russian language comeIm really proud of it.in, we have a good laugh about it, says Kapur.Steve Delzio She says she intends to hold onto the name, grow the business and open more stores.Later, when he was ready for anotherP aul Schneider and Lauren Eulau were artists trip out west, Delzio began to sell his collection to raise the funds for a newbefore they were jewelers.adventure. Schneider, a potter, and Eulau, a weaver, got The idea was so lucrative that heTWIST their start in retail with a store called Clay Trade, sell-would go on to make several trips a yearPortland, Oregon &ing ceramics, weavings, and other handcrafted items.to Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico,Seattle, Washington After branching out into fine jewelry and opening a forging relationships with Native Ameri- second location, it was time for a new name.can artists. The pair sat down with a team of graphic designers In 1975, Delzio rented a 600-square- and began to sketch out ideas on a whiteboard, focus-foot space in his hometown to sell theing on meaning more than aesthetic.hand-painted clay pots, turquoise jewelryWe were writing down stream-of-consciousness ideas and imagery and putting and other items hed bought. things on and crossing them off, recalls He dubbed his store The Mexican Shack. Schneider.By 1990, he was ready to move into aAt that time, we were still selling a lot ofWe were writing down new store with more than 4,000 squarecrafts as well as jewelry and one of the thingsstream-of-consciousness feet of space. we said was, Look, we know ourselves, weideas and imagery. He wondered, should he change theknow we will keep changing and we dont stores name? want to have to do this again. If we decide toSomeone circled the word When Delzio polled his customersbecome a laundromat, we still have to be abletwist.Paul Schneiderabout renaming the new store, they insist- to use this name, he says.ed it remain The Mexican Shack. One of the phrases on the board? Every-The store will close this fall as Delzioday objects with a twist.is retiring, but he says he may pop up atSomeone went up to the board and circled the word twist, Schneider says, and it stuck.smaller jewelry shows and maintain anTwist won the Gem Award for Retail Excellence in 2020, and Schneider and Eulau online presence. are two of the 2022 Retailer Hall of Fame inductees. Read more about their journey in Its just a very unique business, very,the profile on page 26.very unique. Im really proud of it, he says.Senior Editor Ashley Davis contributed to this story.40RETAILER HALL OF FAME 2022'