A little over 20 years ago, a mother and daughter travelled across Australia looking for a fresh start. Ballarat had not been their intended destination, but all it took was one visit to the town for them to know it would be their new home.
Now Gaby and Kim, owners and founders of Alexa’s Treasures, have one of Ballarat’s most notable stores. It is filled wall to wall with one-of-a-kind jewellery pieces that provide each customer with the pleasure of knowing they have purchased something truly special.
However, anyone who has visited the store will know that Alexa’s Treasures is so much more than the pieces they sell, and this is all due to the mother/daughter pair.
“We have something in our store for everyone and no matter who they are or how much they spend, they are equally important to us,” says Kim. “The $5 customer receives the same treatment as the $5000 customer. They are all special.”
A special experience is what Alexa’s Treasures prides itself on, and the relationships Gaby and Kim have built with their customers and the community is testament to that.
“I think offering a personal level of service and friendship only helps the business. People can trust us and know they are buying quality, and it makes a difference,” Kim says.
“We have so many friends through this business, some who have been shopping with us for 20 years now. Ballarat was so kind to us from the very start and the people we work with have become our family.”
The pair has collaborated in all aspects of the store since it began. Starting with mostly antiques, Alexa’s Treasures has transitioned over the years and stocks what they believe to be the largest selection of single item jewellery pieces in Australia.
Every item is hand selected by either Gaby or Kim and both take great pride in every piece. They have travelled extensively to source the pieces, building relationships with suppliers around the world.
“We love Europe. Poland is one of our favourites,” says Kim. “The quality is exceptional, and the style and appearance are so different to what you find in Australia.
“The stones in particular are rare and spectacular. For us it’s important to have natural gems because that’s what we love, and we only sell pieces that we love. You won’t find anything in our store that we don’t like.”
Having been in business for so long it is no surprise that Alexa’s Treasures’ reputation has spread well beyond Ballarat. Many people travel from Melbourne, making a point to stop by, and since going online during Covid, customers now reach around Australia and beyond.
“We used to think an online store would be too hard, just for the sheer volume of stock we have, but it’s been the best thing for us. We don’t use photoshop or filters on our items, and we find people are more impressed with the item once they’re holding it.”
Currently the website lists over 10,000 items, and Gaby estimates there are another 15,000 items that aren’t.
“We always encourage people to come instore to feel, hold and try the items before buying. Then they can experience the quality. But that’s not always possible. We’re more than happy to take calls, answer questions and send more photos. It comes back to our customer service – making that customer feel important because they are,” says Kim.
While maintaining such a high volume of individual items provides challenges, it is something that Gaby and Kim have always been committed to doing.
“Customers are increasingly after the one-off piece and it’s our specialty. Many people use jewellery to express their individuality and we love it when they can find that piece here,” says Gaby.
“We also believe that the jewellery chooses the person. When it comes to something like rings, we only have it in one size. Yet when a customer sees something they love, we’re amazed how often it fits. Like it was meant to be,” Gaby says with a smile. “And we love that moment.”
Alexa’s Treasures is located at 44-46 Sturt Street, Ballarat and items can be viewed and purchased online.
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