It was some 40 years ago when Dorothy Cormack was strolling along the sidewalk in Historic Folsom and spotted a small jewelry store located at 711 Sutter Street at the time. In the market for a new pair of earrings, Cormack walked into the small shop called Rainbow Jewelers. There, she not only found the perfect pair of earrings but also met her soulmate.
Back then, Rainbow Bridge was a pretty much a one-man operation. The store’s showroom was no larger than an office cubicle, with a pair of traditional glass cases displaying the jeweler’s work as you entered. Behind those cases stood Jim Kelly, the proprietor and jeweler—a man with a lifelong passion for art.
Kelly graduated with an A.B. degree in Art from San Francisco State College, and to this day, he continues to pursue his interests in painting, drawing, and video art while creating unique jewelry pieces from precious metals, stones, and unconventional materials. He served as the art and crafts director at two branches of the San Francisco Boys Club and even worked as a taxi driver in San Francisco, California.
“I was looking for a pair of earrings, and I saw his Rainbow Bridge sign. I walked in and asked him if he could make me some earrings, so he created a little bridge for my earrings,” recalled Cormack. During that sale, the two struck up a conversation and discovered they shared a common interest in art.
Cormack’s love of art back then, and today, extended far beyond her desire for a unique pair of earrings. She studied at the Art Institute of Boston, Corning College in New York, and earned an A.A. degree in Liberal Arts from Merritt College in Oakland. She also briefly taught art for the Sacramento City Unified School District before launching her career as a working artist. Today, she continues to create exciting, energizing works that have made her a driving force in the Sacramento County art world, with too many accolades and projects to list.
At the time of her earrings purchase, Cormack was working on a project for Sculpture Sacramento at the Birdcage Walk shopping area. Kelly had heard of the project, which sparked more conversation and eventually led to a collaboration. The rest, as they say, is history.
“He knew I was doing the project and asked if I could use his help,” Cormack shared. “It was my project to put together for Sculpture Sacramento. It lasted the whole month of September in 1981. So, Jim helped me—it was great.”
The two soon became a couple, and the jewelry store benefited from both their attention and passion for art, not only of their own creation but by many others in which they curate to offer a wide variety of unique products that is always changing and growing in inventory. Through the years, Rainbow Bridge has stood the test of time, weathering many challenges and changes in the community. Now, they have reached the milestone of 46 years in business and continue to celebrate that great success in many ways. The latest celebration will be a Choose Folsom anniversary ribbon-cutting event on the evening of Thursday, Aug. 22, to which the public is invited.
The store specializes in offering a wide variety of unusual jewelry with an emphasis on art from the “whimsical to the powerful,” as they put it. Their offering are an alternative to the traditional jewelry store with an intriguing selection of stones and materials opens endless possibilities for bold looks, and they strive to always offer reasonable prices.
Like any business, Rainbow Bridge has had its share of ups and downs—from the humble beginnings at 711 Sutter Street to their current, much larger showroom at 721 Sutter Street, a “must-visit” store. They have survived through economic recessions, the lengthy and challenging Sutter Street revitalization project back in 2010-2011, and, of course, the latest “big one” that hit all retailers hard—the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jim and Dorothy, who also live in Historic Folsom, credit their passionate staff and loyal customers for much of their success. Through the many challenging times, it has been those in the community who have gone out of their way to support the local business. One time when such support really stood out was during the Sutter Street renovation, which made access to many storefronts challenging.
“There was a big hole in front of our front door, which made it difficult or nearly impossible to walk in,” said Dorothy. “But we stayed open the whole time. We found a way to have people park behind the store and walk all the way down through the back. It was a task, but our customers didn’t mind. We’ve got excellent customers who care about us and support local businesses. I would never want to live or work anywhere else.”
Many of those customers, and new ones alike, are likely to come out Thursday night to celebrate with Jim, Dorothy, and their staff as they officially celebrate 46 years of business in Folsom’s Historic District. The festivities will begin at 5:30 p.m. and will offer a variety of hors d’oeuvres and beverages. There will be raffle prizes, live music by Dr. Placebo and Patrick Maier, and a chance to see Jim perform music on “The Instrument”—a contraption he built years ago, about the size of an average floor lamp, that produces a variety of unique sounds at the hands of its creator. The ribbon-cutting is set to take place at 6 p.m.
For more information about Rainbow Bridge Jewelers, including their hours and products, visit their website at www.rainbowbridgejewelers.com. Currently, their hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday and Monday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you don’t find something that catches your eye among the many collections in the shop, just ask—they can likely find it or create it. You might just end up discovering something you will cherish for a lifetime, much like Dorothy did when she asked Jim for those unique earrings years ago.
