Ava & Addison Jewels: Two Girls with Big Dreams

Addison Conely and Ava Oliver have been best friends since kindergarten. But now, as middle schoolers, age 12 and “almost 12,” the two besties have gone into business together.

Ava and Addison make bracelets, which they sell direct to customers and through Addison’s mom’s store, Going Local NC. The duo takes the money they earn from sales and donates it to saving animals.

Ava and Addison Jewels Wilmington NC
Addison Conely (L) and Ava Oliver make bracelets for a cause.

“When my mom opened her shop, we really wanted to create something to sell,” Addison said.

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Ava and Addison are actually no strangers to the business world. The two began with successful lemonade stands in their neighborhood. After one particularly successful sale, the girls decided to give the money to a veterinary clinic.

“A lot of people are helping people,” Addison (who has one dog) explained of their decision. “We want to start donating to help animals.”

“I really want to help and donate for the animals,” Ava (who has three dogs) said. “I want to help all wildlife and all animals, but especially dogs.”

Ava and Addison Jewels Wilmington NC

Addison and Ava immediately formed a tight bond when they met. The two share that what they love about each other is how “silly and funny” the other is. They giggle, laugh, and encourage one another. Perhaps not surprisingly, both girls say that they want to be veterinarians when they grow up – although Addison also says she wants to keep doing art.

Designing, creating, and selling bracelets evolved for the ladies. They stumbled into Addison’s mom’s charms and beads one afternoon and realized how much they loved to make jewelry.

“Just before Christmas, we thought, we should make a business!” Ava remembered. “And we decided to give it a really classic name: Ava and Addison Jewels.”

Ava and Addison Jewels Wilmington NC

Their jewelry is bright, colorful, and many are strung with inspirational words. Ava and Addison find that their customers tend to like the color teal and shimmery beads the most. The two also want to create a signature charm to attach to their creations.

The bracelets are sold out of Michelle Conely’s Going Local NC location in Mayfaire Town Center. Originally, the shop was a pop-up for holiday shoppers, but starting March 1, Going Local NC will be re-opening and permanently operating out of Mayfaire. Ava and Addison Jewels will be for sale for approximately $8.00 a bracelet.

“I just love seeing how adventurous [Addison and Ava] are,” Michelle Conely shared. “It brings out their creativity.”

As for Addison and Ava, the fact that they get to work together, create something they love, and give money to help animals while they do it is a winning combination.

“I am really excited about what we are doing,” Ava shared. “I really feel like we are going somewhere.”

You are invited to follow Ava & Addison Jewels on Instagram (where you can direct message Ava and Addison to purchase a bracelet).
To learn more about Going Local NC, visit goinglocalnc.com.
Going Local NC will re-open March 1, 2019 in Mayfaire Town Center at 6859 Monument Drive, Wilmington (between World Market and David’s Bridal).

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Allison, the founder of Cape Fear Family Magazine, has a long and diverse background in journalism and publishing that began when she started her own newspaper in fifth grade. Eventually, she went on to the University of Virginia and graduated with distinction in English. A writer for places such as StarNews, Greater Wilmington Business Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, and Redbook, she believes that words connect and build communities. She has been published in multiple books, including a Chicken Soup for the Soul and a Norton Anthology called The Double Bind. As former Managing Editor for North Brunswick Magazine and South Brunswick Magazine, her love of local magazines blossomed. When she moved to the area from Chapel Hill in 2015 with her husband and their young sons, she yearned for a community to help her take advantage of the area with her active family. Luckily, as a content marketer, SEO-professional and social media manager, she had plenty of experience to allow her to launch Cape Fear Family Magazine. Allison loves to paddleboard, recently tried surfing, loves to travel, and believes that raising kids is a whole lot of fun.