A Dairy Farmer’s Daughter Trades Rural Wisconsin for a Custom Jewelry Design House in One of the Hippest Parts of Chicago

Takohl Custom Jewelry, Chicago

OWNER: : Tammy Kohl; URL: takohl.com; FOUNDED: 1987; Opened featured location/last renovated: 2000/2021; EMPLOYEES: 3 full-time; AREA: 1,350 square feet; interior DESIGN: Nora Schneider Interior Design; TOP BRANDS: Takohl makes everything in house; online presence: 1,800 Facebook followers; 4.8 Stars on Google Reviews; 2,071 followers Instagram

Tammy Kohl

TAMMY KOHL, OWNER OF Takohl Custom Jewelry, is a dairy farmer’s daughter from rural Wisconsin who grew up picking pretty rocks out of fields and fixing tractors with her dad. He wanted her to join the family business, but Kohl’s interests were artistic in nature. So, at age 19, she pursued a Fine Arts degree at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

Her first big break arrived even before she graduated. In 1986, she walked into the Gianni Versace store in Chicago and the owner stopped her to ask about a ring she was wearing. The piece was a sterling silver three-finger number with grooves and an emerald-cut blue topaz flanked by emerald-cut CZs.

Kohl had made it herself.

“I told her I just finished it, and she said, ‘I have to have it. It is so interesting,’” she recounts, insisting it wasn’t for sale. Her new admirer countered: “Everything is for sale.” Then she laid down enough money to pay for an entire semester of tuition. It was a well-timed boost to Kohl’s confidence.

After graduation in June 1987, she moved to Chicago and started her own jewelry business, establishing Takohl and its headquarters in the West Loop neighborhood. Decades ago, that area was rough around the edges — but to a young entrepreneur, it was heaven.

“Rents were low, and space was plentiful,” recollects Kohl. “It was a meatpacking and wholesale produce area that served the city’s many restaurants, and it was also in the center of Chicago with more affluent areas close by. I was familiar with the Soho and Tribeca areas in New York City and saw this area transforming soon. So, I opened a loft location.”

Her gamble paid off. Over the years, the neighborhood transformed into a trendy destination full of boutiques, restaurants, and a young professional clientele. As Kohl produced one-of-a-kind jewelry with a minimalist aesthetic and unique colored gemstones like quartz with pyrite and blue-green beryl as well as rubies and other traditional gems, she also started selling to boutiques, including Saks Fifth Avenue. By 2000, she was able to purchase her present location, just a few blocks away.

“Today, Takohl is the only custom jeweler in the neighborhood and the only place that can do jewelry and watch repair,” she says. “This has been significant to our growth and key to establishing new business. One of my main philosophies as a jeweler is to include the client in the entire process, from start to finish. At their first appointment, I interview the clients and present a selection of gemstones that capture the ideal they are looking for. Then I present pencil drawings of various design directions.

We love to include our clients every step of the way from drawings to CADs to wax models. They love being part of the process.”

Innovation is another big part of Kohl’s story. She’s known for her Treasure rings, a design she patented in 1996. The rings feature hinged split shanks that conceal engraved messages determined by the buyer; they are one of her top sellers. Her most recent invention is the Love Amulet, a pendant design containing a drop of selenite-infused water that is charged to 528 Hz, the frequency of love and healing.

The water is set under glass and features a wave-like design, hangs from a long chain, and comes with its own tuning fork for recharges when needed.

Art deco chandeliers, exposed brick walls, large glass windows and pedestal showcases give Takohl an elevated and roomy feel.

As for the store itself, it resides in a converted loft built circa 1910 that was once the headquarters of JW Allen, a national bakery supplier. The building is a commanding four-story brick structure that retains much of its original character. There are three businesses on the first floor, including Takohl, with residences on the top three floors and a penthouse.

The interior has been rehabbed in a postmodern style, but great care was taken to preserve the exposed brick walls and industrial doors found throughout the landmarked building. The Takohl space used to be a residence, so it has a full open kitchen, which is ideal for parties, openings, and special events.

The sales floor features exposed brick walls with 15-foot-high ceilings, giant fluted cement pillars, and ductwork à la loft-style design. Floor-to-ceiling picture windows face the street but are not flush with the sidewalk — the store is elevated five feet off the ground. Feminine and art deco masculine chandeliers help illuminate the space, while jewelry-filled glass cubes and stand-alone pedestal cases with their own good lighting further brighten the space and direct clients to inspect every merchandise display in the store.

“When we renovated in 2021, we refinished the floors to a more contemporary gray tone and painted the walls black,” Kohl says. “The fixturing and desks, which were previously finished birch, were painted Takohl blue — a grayish blue. Each of these improvements elevated the space and made it thoroughly modern. Nothing looks like it was a sourced from a supplier of standard glass case-on-base.”

Takohl doubles as an art gallery and hosts two or three openings per year. The art complements the earthy display elements and custom designed jewelry.

A fully functional workroom behind glass doors is also in clear view. “Our jeweler and all of our tools are visible, and we have full repair and manufacturing capabilities on site,” she adds.

Takohl is also an art gallery, as Kohl has been showing art, including photography and paintings, since 2000 and has openings 2-3 times per year. “They are always packed with clients,” she says. “I love giving artists a platform to show their work, and it keeps our customers coming back to see what is new.”

And at the end of each year for the past 37 years, she throws a holiday party. “It is a ‘Thank You’ for all the people that help make this happen,” she explains. “My clients, friends, manufacturers and neighbors are all invited. The party has become an event that people look forward to, and it is one of the most fun nights of the year.”

Five Cool Things About Takohl Custom Jewelry

1. THE LOVE AMULET. Kohl’s newest invention aims to promote calmness and healing and has equally appealing packaging and a fabulous story. Love Amulets are circular pendants with wave effects etched in the metal under glass and contain a droplet of water infused with selenite crystals. The gem water is super-charged to 528 Hz, the frequency of love and healing. “Since the human body is made up of mostly water, this amulet is the perfect conduit to channel the energy and vibration that radiates in ourselves and others,” she says. “It creates a climate for inner serenity and a higher energetic profile to you and those around you.” The piece is also inscribed LOVE on the back and comes with 528 Hz tuning fork and mallet so clients can retune theirs as needed. It’s sold on a 24-inch chain in a fold-top box containing a 20-page color brochure that tells the story of its invention, meaning, and use.

2. KEEP THE CULET IN FOCUS. While Takohl jewelry has a distinct minimalist vibe, another one of her signature design elements is to show off the entire gemstone, including the culet. “We feature it in a side view on each mounting as a sculptural component, which lets maximum light into your stone,” she says. “Clients pay for the whole gemstone, why not see it! It also makes the gemstones easy to keep clean and sparkling.”

3. SHE’LL USE YOUR GOLD. Tammy Kohl has made reimagining family heirlooms a solid part of her business. “In 2008, I trademarked a term for it: Re.gem.er.a.tion,” she says. “Our core message is using what you own — recycle, reuse, recreate. By repurposing your old gems and gold, you can save money and materials while creating new modern heirlooms.” Surprisingly, many jewelers won’t use a client’s gold. “Many refuse to,” she confirms. “I treasure family gold and think it should be handed down for generations and not scrapped. Gold is a recyclable metal, why not reuse it?”

4. TREASURE RINGS. These are one of Kohl’s inventions, and they’ve been a hit with collectors since she patented the design in 1996. Treasure rings have hinged split shanks that open to reveal personalized messages. The design is inspired by a locket Kohl’s grandmother gave to her; when Kohl found a hidden latch that opened and revealed a secret message, she was wowed. “It took my breath away!” she says. “It inspired me to design a completely customizable ring that opens to reveal names, dates, or words of inspiration.”

5. BUY LOCAL, WORK LOCAL. Every custom-designed piece from Takohl is made locally and manufactured using local CAD artists, casters, wax carvers, bench jewelers, engravers, watchmakers and stone dealers. “It is very important to me to support this network of extremely talented artisans and keep the community thriving,” says Kohl. “We do not source or send any work overseas.

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