Its not your typical business case:
Dane Stevens, 24 former professional lacrosse player, bassist for Peak Performance finalists Tough Lovers and new act Chiinatown, international gem dealer.
Keith Seabrook, 25 former professional hockey player, graduate of the Gemological Institute of America.
The two childhood friends have joined forces to carve Cavalier: The Fine Jewellery Shoppe on West Hastings out of nothing but a blank canvas.
Stevens, a third generation gem wholesaler, is carrying on a tradition passed down by his uncle and grandfather.
As his uncles life was being tragically cut short by ALS, Stevens began making trips to the gem district of Bangkok to learn from him while still a teenager.
Since their opening in July, Vancouvers newest bling ring has cultivated a unique West Coast buying experience: easy-going, warmly lit, beersy.
From affordable ($20) to extravagant ($50,000) theyve got it: current local designers Foe & Dear and Broken Promises/Army of Rokosz sit enticingly alongside 15 other artisans in their glass displays.
A percentage of every piece sold goes to a local charity, such as the ALS Society, gems are ethically sourced, and you wont be dealing with commission-hungry sales clerks. You do business with Seabrook or Stevens, sometimes Stevens mom...
Youd perhaps expect the duo to be a bit cocky, having pulled off such a coup at their age, but in a room full of friends and media at a launch party Oct. 3, they were welcoming and excited.
Stevens spoke with WE the next day:
What is the gem cutting district like in Bangkok?
DS: Bangkok is a pretty overwhelming place, and the gem district is an easy place to lose your life savings. Bad deals happen every day there and its not the same business mentality its the bargaining system on steroids and sometimes it feels like an endless game of high stakes poker. I still have stones from my first trip that Ill probably never sell Ive chalked that up as a learning experience. If you know where to look in Bangkok you can have success but, to be honest, Ive had it a bit easier than my uncle and grandfather, who started the business in the 1970s. They would go to Brazil, Colombia and parts of Africa to purchase gemstones bring them to their cutters in Bangkok and then bring them into Canada to sell to retailers. They opened doors for me that I never wouldve been able to come close to on my own.
What was it like working with your uncle at 18?
We worked side by side for about two years buying and selling gems. He was an amazing teacher and mentor. Some of the best memories of starting so young have nothing to do with work but more about the stories he would tell me about how business was done in the old days. I can remember thinking on numerous occasions how intimidated I was by our suppliers; it was an education thats for sure.
At the party, we briefly spoke about how local gem wholesalers are retiring. How you see yourself filling that void?
I think its a pretty common thing in a lot of industries. Theres a great opportunity as a third generation wholesale company to incorporate the changing marketplace with the traditional way most retailers buy. Over the next five to 10 years, wholesale companies and independent stores alike, that are owned by people in their 50s, 60s and 70s, will be looking to get out of the business. And unless theres a generation willing to take over, Im not sure a new business grad would be able to simply purchase that business and continue on the tradition (or business) successfully without fully understanding the jewelry trade. My familys contacts were passed down to me and I couldnt even imagine entering the wholesale marketplace without that goodwill.
