Behind the jewelry counter at Bizarre Bazaar

By Kathryn Larson
Reader Contributor

Let’s go behind the scenes at Bizarre Bazaar, the unique upscale resale shop that generates nearly $250,000 for grants and scholarships in Bonner County Community. It’s a unique collaboration of those who donate possessions, shoppers who seek gently used treasures and Community Assistance League volunteers who dedicate hours to operate a world-class operation. This wonderful partnership works through generosity, elbow grease and a little magic. 

Each department is led by one volunteer who builds their team. Healthy competition between the departments results in continuous improvement to the display, pricing and curation of donations.

Jewelry brought in more than $50,000 last year with an average price of $10 per item. That’s where Marilyn Haddad, “the Jewelry Lady,” makes things tick. Literally, she makes the watches tick and jewelry shine. 

She expressed an interest in the jewelry department eight years ago; and, the next thing she knew, she was running it. It was a steep learning curve, but she’s developed a robust process by which each donated piece is handled multiple times: inspected, researched, cleaned, repaired, valued, tagged with its story and displayed. Meanwhile, Haddad has formed a team and each volunteer brings unique talents. Donna Hutter’s smile lights up the jewelry counter.

Marilyn Haddad, behind the jewelry counter at Bizarre Bazaar. Courtesy photo

Haddad taught herself to research and value jewelry with the help of Google Images, customers and experience. Key markings that prove provenance can be hard to see, even with a jeweler’s loop. She takes stewardship seriously. 

“Jewelry shouldn’t be significantly underpriced. This was someone’s cherished possession. We want to get a fair price and move the inventory,” she said.

Every sale funds a local nonprofit or helps educate a student. Underpricing shortchanges the mission.

Haddad spends hours each day going through the donations and encouraging her team. No donation is dismissed. A necklace with a worn or broken chain often becomes three necklaces with matching earring, after undergoing a masterful redesign by jewelry team member Pamela Lawrence, of PL Designs. 

Haddad learned a valuation lesson the hard way on a Steuben glass trout leaping for an 18K gold fly. Research showed that the piece would bring a very high value, if authentic. Because she could not authenticate it with a signature, the piece had to be lowered to a fraction of that price. A regular and generous customer was interested in the piece, and Haddad explained the dilemma of authentication. The customer quickly found a tiny, faded signature and purchased the piece — and Haddad learned how to find hidden marks. 

These are the win-win situations where the Bizarre Bazaar team improves skills and the customers get a better deal than usual. 

Bizarre Bazaar was merely a huge rummage sale for 22 years. In 2006, CAL opened the first physical store. It’s brought more than $2 million dollars into the community in the form of grants and scholarships. We could not operate without the steady stream of generous donations from the community, faithful shoppers recognizing the multiplier that their purchases make here in Bonner County, and our dedicated volunteer heroes who forge lifelong friendships and develop skills to be good stewards. 

Please bring in those random jewelry items. If they don’t get a makeover, they may become part of one of the popular jewelry pieces bags coveted by local artists. We will find a home for your precious item with someone who will love it. 

Bizarre Bazaar has something for everyone. Come be part of the magic. 

Kathryn Larson is a volunteer with the Community Assistance League. Learn more about the organization at calsandpoint.org.