by Emily Burnham
of The Weekly Staff
The reasons why Washington County native Aaron James moved his jewelry business from Machias, where Designs by Aaron has been open for 12 years, to downtown Bangor, were very practical.
“My wife and I got married two years ago, and she works in Bangor, and we own a house in Glenburn. I was traveling from Machias to Bangor every week and sleeping in the apartment above the store,” said James, 36. “I was sick of it. We want to start a family and I don’t want to be a part-time dad or husband. It just made sense.”
Fortunately for James, the move to Bangor couldn’t have come at a better time. James, a master jeweler who sells fine jewelry with a focus on Maine tourmaline out of his new boutique at 8 Merchants Plaza in downtown, knew this was the right time to get into the downtown Bangor community.
“I remember in 2005 when the gentleman from [longtime Bangor jeweler] Boyd & Noyes retired, he asked me to buy his building, which is where Ipanema is now,” said James. “I said no. There wasn’t anything going on downtown. Now, of course, that has changed drastically. And If I’d waited any longer it probably would have gotten more expensive.”
James got his start in the jewelry business a few months after graduating from Calais High School in 1997. He chose to take a year or two off before entering college, and was looking for work — any work that wasn’t the physically demanding construction work he’d been doing all summer. A chance encounter with his former school secretary lead to an apprenticeship with a jeweler in Calais a field he’s stayed in ever since.
At Designs by Aaron, James hand-selects each individual piece he sells — from diamonds, to the handmade Maine tourmaline pieces, to a selection of pieces from Dove, a jewelry line that features turquoise overlaid by quartz, creating a uniquely brilliant effect. James does repairs and custom work by request, and plans to offer a few custom pieces for sale over the holidays, and eventually hopes to offer a custom bridal line.
“There’s jewelry everywhere. What sets us apart is our personal touch,” said James. “Every piece of jewelry you get, you remember where you got it. If a young couple comes in to buy a ring, I consider it an honor. And I want to make the experience fun. I’m relaxed and I have a good sense of humor.”
Designs by Aaron is located at 8 Merchants Plaza, in a small retail space that previously has housed a hair salon, a convenience store and, most recently, a screenprinting studio. The building it is in was purchased by Telford Allen III in 2014 and, as part of the renovation of the former Merchant’s Bank Building that how houses restaurant Evenrood’s, the 8 Merchants Plaza building also was fixed up, boasting exposed brick walls, hardwood floors and new lighting and fixtures. Both Evenrood’s and Designs by Aaron have opened within the past two weeks.
Designs by Aaron will be open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays, as well as later hours for special events. For information, like Designs by Aaron on Facebook.