Denise Campbell’s Glowbe Shoppe offers your pick of worldly treasures
Published:Friday | December 2, 2022 | 12:08 AM
Born out of the idea of collecting souvenirs, Glowbe Shoppe is the home to authentic, exclusive and unique items from around the globe. With items ranging from home décor to clothing, jewellery and so much more, the retail business was started by Denise Campbell back in 2020 during her time in the Middle East. After travelling to more than 30 countries, Campbell fell in love with the art, craft and fashion that she stumbled across and confessed that she wanted to “make the gems found in some of the most beautiful countries around the world accessible” to the Jamaican market. “I also wanted to bring something different to the gifting landscape in Jamaica,” she shared.
She continued, “Currently, our pieces are sourced from Uganda, Indonesia, India, Turkey, Qatar and Afghanistan, all of which are hand selected with lots of love. Whether through colour, texture or design, our pieces tell a story and are distinctive to the country of origin.
Glowbe caters to a shopper looking for something unique for him/herself, however, Campbell shared that a major part of her business focuses on taking the hassle out of gift shopping. “We offer a full gifting service from consulting to packaging to delivery. I believe we are the only business in Jamaica that does something on this scale, having gems from all over the world under one roof,” she stated.
A self-professed “sentimental person”, Campbell shared that she’s very big on giving meaningful gifts, a sentiment that she transferred to the ethos of her business. “What better way to do gifting than with gifts with a huge cultural/[historical] story behind it? Most of the gems sold are handcrafted, which makes it even more special to me. Just the thought that someone used their time, energy and craft to create an item holds deep value.”
The business started with Campbell’s ‘eye’ for unique décor pieces hand-picked from all over the world, but has since evolved as she shifted her focus to the feedback she has received from her ‘Glowbers’, the name she affectionately calls her customers. She said, “My biggest hope is that my Glowbers will find the same joy and admiration in my items as I do.”
She described her ideal Glowbe shopper as someone who truly appreciates the historical/ cultural value of the items. Someone who values differences and exclusivity since the pieces carried in the virtual storefront are limited (only one of each piece) and hand selected with lots of love. “A Glowbe shopper is one who has a large appetite or passion for travel; they are collectors, art lovers and overall appreciate the finer gifts in life,” she ended.
Campbell’s overall aim is to be known as the international ‘gift guru’. She wants Glowbe to be top of mind when someone is looking for a unique/cultural gift. In the coming months, she hopes to expand her network by travelling to new countries and adding additional pieces to Glowbe’s offerings. “As we serve more global customers, our business model is evolving. As such, we will be launching our website glowbeshoppe.com by the end of December, affording a wider group of customers authenticity and exclusivity. Additionally, as globetrotters, we try to play our part by setting philanthropic goals focusing on wildlife conservation. Our goal is to make bi-annual contributions to the World Wildlife Fund from our sales, particularly through our animal paintings,” Campbell stated.
The newest collection for the holiday season is currently available on the company’s Instagram page @glowbeshoppe or via pop-up shops, allowing customers to interact with the shop’s unique pieces.