We had the good fortune of connecting with caramia visick and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi caramia, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I make big colorful resin jewelry, I’d meet people because of it and I’d sell a necklace I’d make right off my neck or a bracelet off my wrist! It was getting crazy, soon the jewelry money was more than what a made at my job. My friend had an ornament company and pushed me to do a trade show with her.

I started with in person trade shows with my quirky jewelry line, Hotcakes Design, in 2001. My first trade show was the Buyers Market of American Craft in Philadelphia. This was a wholesale trade show and It was very successful! I added more shows: New York International Gift Show, L.A.Gift, San Francisco Gift, and Atlanta Gift show. I sold to over 100 shops, boutiques and museum gift shops.

Somewhere in the midst, in 2004, I had a friend leaving her shop in the Rockridge area of Oakland and I rented the space! I put my jewelry studio in the back of the space and opened my shop, FAVOR. The shop started with just my handmade jewelry but soon I added a few artists that I knew and loved! . Since I spent a lot of time at shows, I was able to find a lot of amazing artists and add their items for my shop! People loved the shop right from the start!

I loved having a shop! And as wholesale business slowed, and stores closed, also shows slowed, I made the shop my focus rather than wholesale. I moved my shop FAVOR to San Francisco for 7 years, then when rents spiked, I moved to Berkeley, where I am currently! I’ve been here since 2016, the jewelry studio is still in the back of the shop.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m excited to be able to create big fun pieces of jewelry! I love color! I love resin! I love creating and changing my shop windows! I love finding new artists that are both wonderful and weird!

I love creating and making jewelry. I get on kicks and dive into an idea, like let’s say, cherry necklaces… I make every color I can dream up! Sometime they are a hit, and they fly! Other times I get crazy for animal necklaces out of old toys and add beads and flowers, I never really know if my customers will love them as much as I do but it never stops me from making a dozen or two!
I feel very lucky that I get to create without a boss looking over my shoulder, or someone making a face. I’m not always spot on, but I have fun doing it and there’s so many other things at the shop to look at if cherries and crazy animals aren’t your cup of tea!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
In Berkeley, I always put Ippuku on the schedule, a Japanese small plate izakiya spot! Vintage Alameda Flea Market first Sunday, French flea market in Marin, second Sunday if timing works. Viks Chaat warehouse in berkeley is my go to lunch with visitors, delicious casual food! Prize Fighter Bar for a perfect cocktail in Emeryville.

I love San Francisco, North Beach is still my walking around spot with my dog. A great cocktail at Comstock, with the perfect vintage decor and talented bartenders. There is tons of restaurants there to dip into for an old school dinner.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shout out to my friend Molly, she pushed me to do my first trade show! My fabulous husband and son that followed me all over place, set up my booths, and helped set up my shop everytime i moved locations!

Shout outs to all the great buyers that carried my crazy designs through the years gave me the confidence to keep going! And now I thank all my customers and their continued support! During Covid their was so much doubt about my future and the shop but my customers and landlord did not want me to close, and the positivity made me stay strong!

Website: Www.shopatfavor.com

Instagram: @shopatfavor (the shop!) @hotcakesdesign (what I make)

Facebook: Hotcakes Design (what I make) Favor and Hotcakes (shop)

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