Inside a small jewelry shop on Jefferson Highway, customers are transported all over the world. The jewelry at Violet Flame Jewelry Gallery makes its way to the store from as far as France, Russia, Canada and Germany.
On a May afternoon, Jason Cooper is busy sorting through the store’s latest shipment. It is stocked with interesting bracelets, necklaces and rings from India and Mexico.
Jason and his husband, Chris Cooper, opened Violet Flame last fall. After the previous owners of the Sabai Jewelry Gallery decided to retire, the Coopers moved into the Goodwood Village shopping center spot and opened Violet Flame.
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Today, they have made it their own, and they hand-pick each gemstone and uniquely crafted piece.
“We wanted to bring jewelry you couldn’t find in other jewelry stores, with different crystals and unique settings,” Jason explains.
He is referring to pieces like talisman necklaces produced by Canadian brand Pyrrha. The sterling silver pendants are cast using Victorian-era wax seals. They depict images like bumblebees, mother bears and dragonflies, each piece with its own symbolic story.
The store stocks gemstones ranging from emeralds and diamonds to rose quartz and amethyst, and everything in between.
“My favorite gem is the iolite,” Jason says. “The dark blue stone just sings to me.”
When customers enter the shop, they’re greeted by rows of antique terrarium-style cases, showcasing what Jason fondly refers to as “all of the eye candy.”
Behind the glass, rings and necklaces are displayed atop large rocks or are nestled between pebbles.
Art and decorative objects accent every corner, much of which is also for sale. In the future, wind chimes, statues and other handmade items will also be added to the inventory.
If there’s something a customer wants but the store doesn’t have in stock, the Coopers will try to source it for them.
“Our main goal is to offer exceptional customer service,” Jason says. “Where people can come and find something unique.”
And in the center of the store, two plush chairs in a rich violet hue offer a resting place for customers to sit and talk through a jewelry investment.
The name “Violet Flame” is about more than purple-colored furniture, though.
It’s an homage to Molly McKenzie, the original owner of Violet Flame’s sister store on Perkins Road, Coyote Moon Crystals & Gifts. The Coopers were longtime employees of the shop before purchasing it from McKenzie.
So when it came time to open their latest venture, it seemed only fitting that they’d name it after one of McKenzie’s favorite books, Violet Flame. The book is all about healing the mind, body and soul.
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And it’s the same comforting, spiritual energy Baton Rougeans have come to know the Coopers for at Violet Flame, Coyote Moon and beyond.
Violet Flame Jewelry Gallery is at 711 Jefferson Highway, Suite 9. violetflamejewelry.com
This article was originally published in the July 2021 issue of 225 magazine.