Bejeweling career

Artist finds success in jewelry store

JESSICA BARBER
Editorial Assistant

A romantic gift for a special girl given 25 years ago began Steve Banen's career as a self-proclaimed Jewish artist. Now Banen, an accomplished jewelry designer, owns and operates his own jewelry store, Cornelis Hollander at the Summit.

"The business is like the ice cream business or the candy business," says Banen. "When people walk out of the store, they walk out with a smile."

When Banen was in his early 20s, he crafted a pair of earrings for his girlfriend, who, unbeknownst to him, was the daughter of Alexander Kower, a renowned Scottsdale jeweler.

"When he saw them (the earrings), he offered me a job," said Banen. "For three years I worked in his store and learned how to make and design jewelry."

Banen's association with Kower led him to a long-term business relationship with Cornelis Hollander, an internationally acclaimed Scottsdale-based jewelry designer.

"When I saw Cornelis's work for the first time, I was astonished with the quality of finish and level of detail," says Banen.

Apparently, the feeling was mutual. When Hollander was offered space in the Scottsdale Summit shopping center in January 2001, he asked Banen to own and operate the store.

"I was honored that he considered me," Banen said.

Not only did Banen accept the offer, he also remodeled the store himself.

"I really had to do a hands-on thing to build out the store," Banen admits. "The end result is that I was able to put together a very expensive-looking store for basically the cost of the materials."

Banen had the skills to design showcases, fixtures and the store's interior because he spent time after college designing, building and marketing furniture. The interest began with his parent's cabinet-manufacturing company.

"It was there that I started building furniture," remembers Banen. "Then I went out on my own ... and built furniture for a number of years."

His furniture business, Banen International, attracted clients in the local Jewish community as well as clients as far away as Hawaii and Washington, D.C.

Banen also owned and operated a swimming pool cleaning business for a few years. He sold the business when he was offered Cornelis Hollander at the Summit.

Banen attributes his winding career path to a lack of direction.

"I've never been interested in wearing a suit or going out on the road," Banen explained. "I also never wanted to work for anyone. I've always found different ways of reinventing myself and doing different things."

Since the grand opening last November, Banen has put 100 percent of his efforts into the store, including building a clientele, marketing his product in a new neighborhood and inventing fresh jewelry designs, he explains.

"I never went to art school ... but a lot of the ideas (for jewelry) come from dreams or seeing things," Banen said. "You can't teach the creative process. You either are creative or you're not."

He also is enthusiastic about the financial aspects of the store.

"I was excited about (making more money) because for once, I would finally have the ability to give something back to the Jewish community," said Banen.

Banen and his wife Lisa are members of Temple Solel. They reside in Scottsdale with their three children, David, Louis and Samuel.

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