Diverse suites offer community for permanent jewelry business

KENTWOOD, Mich. (WOOD) — Along Breton Road in Kentwood sits a community of micro-businesses helping entrepreneurs, many of whom are women of color, thrive.

Charity Christine Suites, located along Breton Road near 44th Street in Kentwood, was first started in May of 22. It has 22 suites — some are still available to rent — for business owners that need their own studio, retail space or office. The luxury suites have a minimalist, modern design.

“I think what I hear back often (is), ‘It is so nice in here,'” owner Charity Bruce said.

Bruce was first inspired to open business suites around seven years ago, when she was 19 and had her son, and had to leave a suite she was renting.

“I had my son very, very young. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do,” she said. “Now my focus is to helping other entrepreneurs and helping them grow their business. So I would say it’s full circle how the whole story has came about, but I’m forever grateful for the experience.”

Several of the businesses inside Charity Christine Suites are part of the beauty industry, and several are owned by women of color, including permanent jewelry business Static Flow.

Permanent jewelry has recently gained popularity in the U.S. and has started making its way into the Midwest, Static Flow owner and microwelder Hailey Smith said.

“A lot of people say they first were introduced to it through TikTok or social media. There’s been a couple of shows that have showcased permanent jewelry, and that really spiked people’s interest in it,” she said.

Smith herself first learned about permanent jewelry on social media and, while on a trip for her mom’s birthday in Florida, tried it out for herself.

She eventually launched Static Flow in February of 2023, with the help of her sister, and moved into Charity Christine Suites in June. She offers custom-fit rings, bracelets, anklets and necklaces, in 14 karat gold filled, 14 karat rose gold filled or sterling silver.

Smith uses a welder to zap a jump ring on the piece, so people don’t have to worry about clasps. The pieces are “good for everyday life,” Smith said, as they’re water-proof, sweat-proof and don’t tarnish.

Some customers are scared about the commitment, but Smith says you forget it’s there, noting she can’t feel a stack of three bracelets she wears on one wrist.

Her business gets a lot of repeat customers, she said.

“People are hooked. Once you get one piece, you want more,” she said. “It’s really fun to do independently, with friends, with a parent, siblings.”

Each appointment only takes about 15 minutes.

“I pride myself on being able to make a super impactful 15 minutes with each client that comes in here, greeting them with a smile a snack, great conversation, things like that,” she said.

Smith, who grew up in Grand Rapids, started her first business in 2019.

“What piqued my interest in entrepreneurship was just allowing myself to have another stream of income in this economy,” she said. “It’s been very helpful to just diversify myself and to have another stream of income, and to just bring a new experience to my clients and to Grand Rapids.”

While being a business owner has had its ups and downs, she said she is grateful to be surrounded by other entrepreneurs, both with her friends and family and inside Charity Christine Suites.

“It’s been amazing experience being a woman of color business owner,” Smith said. “Everyone’s super supportive of each other in this community … in the suites, they share our advertisements all the time, which is super helpful.”

Bruce said as a woman of color in business, one of the most important things is “holding your ground, being about your business and staying on top of things.”

“For so long, people have their views of how certain entrepreneurs could be and they like to compare, they contrast,” she said. “I wanted to beat the odds, especially being a younger entrepreneur … as a Black entrepreneur.”

She encouraged those thinking about starting a small business to take the leap.

“Those of you that have a goal or something that you’re after, go and do it, go and get after it,” she said. “I tell myself all the time, ‘I’m so glad that I chose back then to get started in business.’ Even though it didn’t look as big as this, but it was a start and it led me to here, so I’m grateful.”

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