Beloved fine jewelry designer Judi Powers has teamed up with two other maker-jewelers and a handful of fashion designers (and one felt-toy maker!) to open a seasonal retail store in Hudson, N.Y., that’s scheduled to be open through Dec. 31. 

Dubbed 620 Local, the shop is the brainchild of fiber artist Cora Hales, founder of Some Things Take Time, and is located on the town’s main drag, Warren Street, in a space formerly occupied by popular clothing store de Marchin. Alongside Powers’ sophisticated collection in the space sit colorful collections from Russell Jones Jewelry and Helen Suter Jewelry.

Hales and Powers have collaborated in the past, notes the jewelry designer. “I’m a huge fan of Cora’s work and we’ve previously been in a collective retail space together,” Powers says. “Her clothing and my jewelry pair so beautifully together, and when she invited me to join, I was really excited.”

The designer was understandably nervous about opening a brick-and-mortar—even a temporary one—during the COVID-19 pandemic, but, she says, “I learned in September during a successful trunk show at Robert Goodman Jewelers that it is possible to meet with customers in person and to help them find special pieces of jewelry. And that ability to talk with people and connect is really at the core of all collectives, I think.”

All seven of the participating designers are sharing the cost of the pop-up, and five makers (including Powers) are taking turns working the sales floor. The designers are uniformly sanitizing all jewelry and countertops with alcohol after every touch, and are using a UV sanitizing box for jewels. Mask wearing is mandatory in the store, and the designers are limiting capacity to six guests at a time. 

But the safety precautions won’t be masking (sorry!) Powers’ upbeat mood at 620 Local. The designer says she’s missed being able to talk with customers during the pandemic, and is looking forward to chatting in person with many of her favorite clients at the shop. 

Additionally, Powers has been busy at the bench during the lockdown, and she’s thrilled to have a space in which she can debut the fruits of her labors. “Being able to work at my bench has given me a lot of joy and satisfaction,” she says, “and the pieces I’ve made in 2020 are some of my favorites.”

She adds, “I know how incredibly fortunate I am to have been able to continue safely working throughout the pandemic, and that feeling of gratitude is imbued in every one of my pieces.”

620 Local is open Wednesday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m., at 620 Warren St., Hudson, N.Y.

Top: Inside 620 Local (all photos courtesy of Judi Powers)

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