This female-owned, family-run business has been supporting local artists and the communities they live in since its launch as a gift store in 1969. Sisters Leslie and Lellie purchased the business from their mother, Beth, and, despite some natural evolving and the current rebranding, Dandelion's core values—kindness, respect and honesty—have remained firmly intact.
Lellie Keating, Leslie Woodward, Jennifer Tunbridge & Jessica Kehoe
Co-owners, General Manager & Store Manager
First off, tell us about the shop's recent redesign.
Dandelion is currently undergoing a rebranding, updating to better reflect Leslie and Lellie's vision. Saucon Valley was the first store to undergo this transformation. The choice to start in Saucon Valley was primarily due to the close community. We were able to use recommendations from customers and employees to find the people to help us transform the store. The rebranding will be fully revealed in late spring!
The shop is dedicated to supporting ethically responsible working conditions and ethically sourced materials. Tell us about the importance of that.
While Dandelion is going through changes in the store, what won't change are the core values—respect, honesty and kindness. Beth [Fluke, founder] instilled these values in the early years of Dandelion by going to local craft fairs and traveling to places, like Bali in 1979, learning about where everything is made and meeting the artists. Leslie and Lellie strongly believe in continuing to support local artists, and the communities where they live. The majority of the artists represented by Dandelion are from the U.S. and Canada; many of them are small and women-owned businesses. The world has gotten smaller since Beth made that first trip to Bali, and they feel that there is also a responsibility to support the global community. Beth, while retired now, still travels with Leslie all over the world to find new artists to support. They will go to small villages in order to meet the people who are making the jewelry, to understand who the artist is, and see the community being supported when the artist sells their jewelry. By doing this, they can buy with their heart knowing that, whether in the U.S., Canada or a faraway village, they are supporting a community: helping a mother stay home with her children, or a child get an education, or even as simple as helping a family to eat. Understanding how it can impact a whole community is very important.
Dandelion's roots date back to 1966. How has it evolved over time?
Dandelion started as a flower shop in Kennebunkport, Maine in 1966, when Beth decided she wanted to start her own business. In 1969, she moved into an old brownstone building in downtown Philadelphia, where she opened a multi-level, multi-room gift store carrying American crafts. Dandelion, at that time, carried gifts, jewelry, clothing and beads. Just like you find up-and-coming artists in Dandelion today, the same held true then with artists like David Yurman and Eileen Fisher.
We evolved into carrying primarily jewelry in the early '90s and have been enjoying the focus ever since. Leslie and Lellie purchased the business from their mother, Beth, in 2008.
Dandelion is, at its core, a family-owned business. What can you tell us about that?
Besides being owned by sisters, and passed down from mother to daughters, Dandelion is a family in every aspect of the business. The family support is in the day-to-day operation of the stores, but also in the important life moments: Marriages have been celebrated together, births of children and graduations. Being women-owned, the family support extends to all the mothers working for the company, so that they are able to have a successful career and still feel supported in caring for an ill child or being at school for an important event. Being mothers themselves, Leslie and Lellie have created a family business that truly gives women the support they need to be able to both work and care for their families. The family bond at Dandelion extends to customers as well. Relationships have spanned over decades, and sharing in customers' life events and special moments is the most rewarding part of being part of a family-owned business.
Who are some of the shop's favorite designers?
Anne Sportun, Jamie Joseph, Ananda Khalsa, Chan Luu and Waxing Poetic.
Is there a design that continues to fly off the shelves?
Delicate necklaces and one-of-a-kind rings.
What are some products that readers might not know the shop carries?
Custom hand-stamped jewelry, S'well, Puravida and Lizzy James.
The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley | 610.841.3935 | dandelionjewelry.com
