Monthly Archives: October 2017

THE NEW CJS IS OPEN! MUST SEE WHOLESALE VINTAGE JEWELRY SUPPLY WAREHOUSE (repost 17 Apart)

On our most recent trip to NYC, I stopped into one of my very favorite supply warehouses for one of a kind jewelry components, CJS Sales. This time last year I was posting about the liquidation sale in preparation for their big move — well, they’ve just opened the doors to a newly opened location and I couldn’t wait to check out the new space.
Today I’m excited to share pics of the vintage treasures I brought back home, along with a peek into the new suite for anyone thinking about making a visit.
Wholesale vintage lockets, CJS Sales

When I used to live in the city and make jewelry full time, the world of wholesale jewelry supply warehouses quickly became a fascination and regular destination on my weekend agendas.
CJS is my very favorite to visit, because they specialize in buying out entire closeout businesses, meaning the majority of what you’ll find isn’t being manufactured anymore and comes in limited quantities. This is why buying in a bulk, wholesale format makes sense — if I have a gut sense that I can make something special for my shop, the chances are I won’t be able to find the pieces again, so purchasing the entire lot not only helps save money but supplies me with a truly limited run of jewelry. For any designer looking for inspiration or truly limited components, this place is worth a trip in my book.
There is usually a mix of both new and old, but the vintage stock is what keeps me coming back. I know I can count on boxes of vintage beads, lockets, and chains on any given visit, and there’s always something new to find. I could go on and on but think the pictures can speak best for themselves, so with that — here’s a virtual trip to what I consider one of New York’s best-kept secrets for creatives…
The new location is right on 5th Avenue, still in Midtown, and situated amidst the cluster of fabric and bead shops that make this area so inspiring to visit. Upon entering, the stacks of boxes bring an immediate sense of familiarity from the previous space, coupled with the exciting heart palpitations that indicate good things are in store…
Carl Schimel, CJS Sales
I loved getting a chance to see and speak with Carl (who owns and manages the space) all about the move and his recent purchases. I quickly learned that now is a good time to stop in since the majority of previous merchandise was liquidated during the move and Carl is now in the process of purchasing new old stock and vintage pieces to fill in the new space.
There are about 5 spacious rooms in the new location and I spent the majority of the time this trip sifting through the vintage brass, beads, lockets, and chains. That said, there’s a lot more to look through — think rhinestones, pressed glass cabochons and stones, findings, filigree, wood, plastic beads, bakelite chips, chain, lucite, Swarovski, cameos and seed beads. There’s also an entire section of closeout new manufactured goods for those interested in resale.
As I’ve shared in previous posts about CJS, they don’t sell online so it’s a bit of a thrill of the hunt destination and I like to take my time while there to make sure I’ve seen as much as possible.

After this trip, I returned home with a hefty collection of sweet little lockets and much more I’m excited to be making jewelry with in the coming months. Just look at these treasures:

All in all, I was so pleased to see this favorite spot open again and all the “new” vintage finds. I’ve included all the details for the new CJS location below in the event you’re planning an upcoming trip or in the area. We hope you’ll tell them we sent you and that we say hello from Richmond!

Contact Info:
CJS Sales Ltd.
390 Fifth Ave, New York, 10018
Entrance between Fifth & Sixth Avenues
Suite 411
Phone: (212) 244-1400
Email: elyse@cjssales.com
Hours: M-F 9am-4:30pm

Tip: Most everything is sold by the bag or lot and charged by weight or piece. There is a $100 minimum total spend and you’ll need to purchase onsite in wholesale format, meaning you’ll need a tax ID from any state, federal EIN number or international proof of business in order to shop at CJS. If you run an Etsy shop or online business (like us!) and are curious if you qualify, give Elyse a call or send an email and she’ll be happy to walk you through the details on a personal, step by step basis.