While JennyGems, a gift and home goods purveyor of “Fun, Happy, Stuff,” had a rocky start at the onset of the pandemic, they are now poised to expand after a creative turn of course brought them success. Delaware Business Times reports that JennGems is looking to grow by moving to the Delaware Coastal Business Park this fall and is currently in discussions with Sussex County officials for a 25-year lease to build on 3-acres of land.
Jennifer and David McMillan started JennyGems out of their home and eventually opened a 7,000 sq. ft. warehouse and gift shop in Harbeson, DE. According to their website, the company had their gift and home good product designs manufactured overseas in China but eventually had trouble finding suppliers in 2019. The McMillan’s went all-in and decided to purchase expensive manufacturing and woodshop equipment to build, paint, and print decorative signs.
It was a risky move that seemed disastrous after the equipment finally arrived a week before the pandemic, which temporarily closed down their shop and caused their sales to plummet overnight. They had to make the difficult decision to lay off their workers but decided that they wouldn’t take the situation lying down. The couple pivoted and used social media to promote their Made in USA theme and started creating inspirational gift products for nurses battling COVID on the front lines of the pandemic. After that, their business skyrocketed. They were able to rehire their employees and hire 12 more while still adding new members to their team.
“It was so scary, but we came back fighting. We started doing social media live videos and telling everyone this is what we did and that we’re creating jobs right here in Delaware,” Jennifer McMillan told 47 ABC. “Our sales are up over 50 percent from last year, and the sky is the limit for us. We have a great team. We all work well together, and we’re excited about the future.”
In addition to their store, you can shop JennyGems on their website, Etsy, Amazon, and Walmart. Learn more about JennyGems at jennygems.com.
