By ROBIN STANTON GERROW
BG Independent News
When she opened Coyote Beads and Jewelry, Gayle Walterbach didn’t want to create just jewelry. She wanted to create a place of inspiration and connection. With 20 years in business, she’s done just that.
Making jewelry was her passion while working and taking care of her family, and when she had the opportunity to open a small store in the corner of a yoga and Pilates studio, she jumped at it. Just a year later the shop moved into its current location at 178 S. Main St. in downtown Bowling Green.
“Darlene Chambers at Balance Quest was such a big part of the beginning of Coyote Beads,” Walterbach said. “Even the name came from a dream I had about the coyote paw prints in the tile at the studio.”
Since moving to Main Street, Walterbach has expanded her offerings to include jewelry, clothing and home goods from local artists as well as those from across the world, especially from the American Southwest.
“All of the jewelry we have is unique, and you won’t find it anywhere else,” she said. “It’s wonderful to see someone come in and pick out a piece that is so special to them and brings them joy.”
It hasn’t been all smooth sailing. The store opened on Main Street just before the Great Recession of 2007—not the best time to start a new business. Walterbach will be the first to say she couldn’t have always pulled through downturns without her long-time team of Melissa Weinert, Joyce Roe and Flannery Murnen.
“I didn’t think I was going to make it during the recession,” Walterbach said. “We still tried to do classes, but nobody was spending money. During that time, you really had to make your own joy, so we started making more jewelry. And of course, 2020 was also a low time, but we got creative and started making kits people could just pick up and take home, and with Flannery’s help we did classes over Zoom.
“It ended up being a great way to provide creative outlets for people who were stuck at home,” she continued. “And putting it all together helped us, too. It got us out of the house. We’d sit separately at the store and just make kits for children and anyone who needed that distraction. But it was hard and without my staff I don’t think I would have wanted to continue—but we were great at lifting each other up.”
Those classes have built community and turned the store into a gathering place for shoppers and friends, alike.
“A high point for me is teaching classes,” said Roe. “I especially love when we have the same kids come in for events every year. We have watched them grow up, and I have fun seeing them have fun.”
Weinert added that random classes can result in lasting friendships.
“Folks are sitting around the table talking, and you see them making those connections,” she said. “The next thing you know they are making plans to meet for lunch or coffee.”
“One of the joys of being in a small town is that we do get to know our clients,” Walterbach said. “Sometimes they come in and just want to chat or show us some new thing they’ve made. They aren’t really customers; they’re friends and family.”
(In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Coyote Beads and Jewelry, Walterbach has planned “20 Days of Appreciation” for her customers. Events include sales, trunk shows, artist discussions, tastings and jewelry-making. A full listing can be found here, https://coyotebeadsbg.com/calendar/ ).
