Out of all the bead stores I have been to in So. Cal., this is my all time favorite! I love the selection of beads offered. The owner is a talented bead artist herself, and has had her work published in a popular beading magazine! She keeps current on all the new beading trends is always one of the first stores that I know of to stock some of the latest and greatest beads on the market like the Halo's, SuperDuos, Miyuki Tilas, etc... The store is always kept neat and well organized. Strung beads on the wall are organized by color which makes it so much fun to look at and shop. The store gets their fair share of lookie-loos from people who are curious about what is sold in a bead store. I am an avid people watcher and from what I've seen, these people have no intention of buying beads and don't know the difference between a real gemstone and a plastic bead! The owner has been in the bead business long enough to know who is a serious buyer and who is just curious about beads in general. These people have no clue as to what good bead etiquette is, and often come off as rude and unapproachable to the other customers who there to shop. Good quality beads are not cheap. I think people expect high end jewelry quality diamonds for the price of ice cubes. When you try to educate these newbies as to why "retail" shops such as Beadology price beads at a certain range, you just see their eyes roll over. The prices for their classes are equal to those of other bead stores of the same caliber. Since the majority of people who actually are willing to commit to the beading craft are already intermediate beaders, it is no surprise that the majority of classes the store offers are for intermediate beaders. Newbies aren't that committed to the craft and therefore, aren't willing to pay the $25-35 price range for a class PLUS the cost of supplies. Newbies would rather sit in front of their computer and learn projects from YOUTUBE for free. I am thinking that the owner is wise to this and therefore, does not bother to offer too many beginner/novice classes. So many other competing stores are willing to teach you just about anything for free so why bother competing with that. This store caters to a specific niche. Oh, and if you bring a baby or unattended children into any bead store, they will be rude to you. It doesn't matter where you go which is why you should never bring a baby into a bead store! Chances are, if the owner or other staff are rude to you, then you probably did something to provoke it.
I've seen a lot of reviewers on here try to deter people from shopping here and take their business to JJ Beads. I would rather see people shop at WalMart or Hobby Lobby across the street than shop at JJ Beads which is also in the same plaza as Hobby Lobby. I have bought metal rings from JJ Beads. I thought I scored such a deal because they were even cheaper than online prices. When I worked with them, they crumbled in my hands - they felt like they were made out of candle wax, spray-painted with metal paint. They sell A LOT of cheap metal chain and CHEAP QUALITY Chinese crystals. You are lucky to find someone who speaks English. Most of the people who work there know just as much English as the day laborers that hang out in front of Home Depot! The staff are not experts at beading - they study other artists' designs and teach them as their own. They do not even give credit to where they copied their designs from. They only have staff teach projects which you can find in any Japanese beading book or website. The owner is very territorial too! If he finds out that you shop at any other store in the area, he yells at you and throws you out of the store. I've seen him do it! Don't be fooled by his toothy grin - he's a snake. All the so-called great priced beads he sells is actually marked up greatly! He buys his stuff from downtown L.A. jewelry district and if you knew how much he really paid for those beads, you'd throw up. God help you if you try to return anything that is cheap and breaks - you'll probably get thrown out. JJ Beads has a website but good luck ordering something. I found a specific color of crystals available on their website that I wanted to buy when I was in the store. The ladies working the counter said they don't know that color and that they have never carried it. I told them they list it on their website and it was like looking into a deer's eyes caught in headlights! The only help the staff at JJ Beads can do for you is take your money. And they'll just laugh at you if you ask them where you can find a bead that they don't carry. The last thing they will do is drive their customers to another competing bead store. JJ Beads is cheap and tacky! If you like that store, then you must be too or an employee trying to ruin a good bead store's reputation. read more