In 1999, the owner of The Beadcage, Paula Rosenberg, met her soon-to-be husband David Rosenberg. They took small vacations whenever possible. On their vacations, they always found themselves in different shops, finding unique and great items that they could not get anywhere else. Each time they would find something new and special, they would say, "If I had a shop, I would carry that!" And that's just what they did.
After Paula's father passed away in 2003, she traveled to Florida where she found a small beading shop. She spent the next two weeks coping with her loss while beading.
After research, Paula discovered that only two places sold beads in her hometown of Columbus, Georgia. Paula enjoyed beading, showing others how to bead, and taking an interest in others' handiwork. She decided to open a shop.
The naming of the store happened on the way to a wedding with some friends. Everyone was coming up with names until David said jokingly, "Why don't you call it The Beadcage!" After a minute of silence, everyone agreed it would be a great name and it stuck.
The first Beadcage, Inc. store opened in June of 2003. It was a small 1200 sq ft shop with 800 sq ft of retail space in the old Sydney Simons Plaza, next to Outback. The famous Beadcage Red paint color was first used in that store. All the work done to open that store was by the hand labor of David and Paula. The store was opened with a total of $500 in bead inventory, some jewelry and a few gift items.
Within less than a year The Beadcage had outgrown the store. The second store lasted about a year before it was outgrown. It was a bit larger than the first and it was a bare basics design with a painted black cement floor. During 2005 the newest Beadcage was being designed. A famous architect from New York, David Korn, who's designs included Tommy Hilfiger and Christian Dior stores was hired.
The newest Beadcage opened in April 2006. The newest Beadcage has about 2500 sq ft of retail space and a 600 sq ft private classroom. Its architectural design is stunning. It is clean and crisp with beautiful hardwood floor throughout. The Beadcage red color is back on the walls.
What sets the new Beadcage apart from any other bead store in the world is our beads presentation. A physician, bead shop owner and engineers helped design the bead display system to enhance your shopping experience. Thousands of beads are displayed in a beautifully designed area that is lighted with almost 100 halogen lights. Beads are easy to see, and the ergonomically designed bead bins makes selecting beads a dream.
The new Beadcage not only is a one of a kind bead store with thousands of beads in house everyday, but we still carry those amazing one of a kind gifts for which the foundation of The Beadcage was built. The Beadcage is now also known for its design department and artists. The Beadcage designs thousands of custom jewelry pieces each year with an emphasis on Bridal and Prom Jewelry. Special commissioned pieces are also made. With the full line of Swarovski Crystals and thousands of semiprecious stones and pearls, there is no outfit that The Beadcage cannot match.
The Beadcage buyers now travel to distant countries including India and China to purchase many beads that are not often found in the USA. A tremendous effort is made everyday to ensure the finest and widest varieties of beads are available at The Beadcage. The Beadcage has a special relationship with its many bead designer customers and we work closely with them to ensure our inventory, quality and prices meet their needs. The Beadcage is a destination bead store and we have worked tirelessly to achieve this. Throughout the next year you will see an increased number of classes and retreats. We will have more programs and specials for our designers and we will continue to increase our on line presence with a rare selection of fine quality beads.