Jewelry trends featured in downtown store

Villane’s Jewelry & Unique Accessories, located in downtown Milledgeville, is preparing for the new fashion season. Villane’s has been selling jewelry and accessories for about seven years.

Villane’s tries to appeal to the 18 to 25-age range, and about 60 percent of their customers are college students. Co-owner of the store, Susan Renfroe, said the biggest trend she has seen among college girls this season are feather earrings and messenger bags.

Renfroe has been in the fashion business for approximately five years, and she obtained a degree in Fashion Marketing and Merchandising at Georgia College in the 1980s.

“I started shopping at Villane’s before I started working there,” Renfore said.

Renfroe’s favorite celebrity fashion icons are Audrey Hepburn and Katy Perry. Her favorite accessories are earrings.

“I just feel naked without my earrings,” Renfroe said.

Other co-owner, Villane Waldhauer, originally opened the business seven years ago. Waldhauer has a background in art, but during her studies at Georgia College she switched her major to nursing. She worked as a nurse practitioner for 20 years prior to opening Villane’s.

Waldhauer went back to her artwork, hand making jewelry and taking art classes. She is currently enrolled in an art class in Savannah, Ga.

Renfroe and Waldhauer have been friends for many years before going into business together.

“We make a great combination,” Renfroe said. “We have the perfect marriage.”

The two friends work well with each other.

There have been rumors of Villane’s going out of business, but the rumors are not true according to the owners. Villane’s plans to stay open for many more years to come. The economy has affected the store, but with loyal customers and friends Villane’s is still thriving.

Avery Newman, a senior community health major, often shops at Villane’s.

“Villane’s has such reasonable prices, and it is my go-to store for accessories,” Newman said.

Newman had also heard the rumors that the store was going out of business, and was relieved to find out this was not true.

Posted by TaylorSeay on Mar 3 2011. Filed under Close Up, Special Sections. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.