Rox Gems

Entrepreneur Roxana Najar opened the current location of Rox Gems on popular 17th Avenue Southwest in late 2014. Prior to moving, rising rents in her former location had her worried she might lose her business. “My husband has been a huge help. He’s been with me the entire time and is incredibly supportive,” Roxana says. “My clientele have been wonderful as well. When they heard that I might shut down they all came out to support me. All my girlfriends and long-time customers came out.”

Roxana moved to Calgary in 1996 after a career in fashion modelling and design in her hometown of Mexico City. She has been designing jewellery and clothes since her early 20s. When she moved to Calgary, she decided to concentrate on jewellery exclusively, starting with a small jewellery cart at Eau Claire Market in 2000.