Dominic Maratta’s first big break in the jewelry industry came when he was asked to make custom rings for General Motors; an opportunity that paved the way for him to open Dominic’s Fine Jewelry. Three decades later, he’s committed to helping other individuals and businesses get their big break too. Together with his family, Dominic operates the All American Business Centers in Sterling Heights, a business that offers flexible office space in a manner similar to WeWork. And with a belief in meeting clients where they’re at, he aims to be a partner in their success.
Following a passion
The journey to this point for Dominic began in high school, when he took a job at Jewelry by Mary in Chesterfield. This experience inspired him to partner with his father and open their own store – D & D Jewelers. It also motivated him to pursue the craft of jewelry making. Soon Dominic found himself attending the Holland School for Jewelers and creating original pieces in his basement – including those rings for General Motors. Then in 1988, he opened Dominic’s Fine Jewelry, his own 1,200-square-foot facility in Clinton Township. Great service and popular products generated rapid growth and by 2002, Dominic’s had moved to a new, 21,000-square-foot space adjacent to Lakeside Mall in Sterling Heights.
A family affair
As Dominic’s Fine Jewelry expanded, it was only natural for Dominic’s family to get involved. His wife Maria became a partner and his two daughters, Annalisa and Briana, both started working at the business as well. In fact, according to Annalisa, she began answering the phones at age three.
Starting out young allowed the two sisters to develop their own interests and pursue their own paths. For Annalisa, this meant attending school for gemology, receiving her GIA degree and leading the business’ marketing efforts. Briana pursued a passion for design and now helps manage the production of custom pieces through the business’ new jewelry software.
Now, one might think that having a father, mother and two siblings involved in one single business would be challenging. But for the Marattas, this isn’t the case. If anything, it’s made the business even stronger.
Pivoting to something new
With the jewelry store doing well, Dominic decided to invest in a new venture. In 2005, he constructed an office building adjacent to Lakeside Mall where he envisioned tenants with long-term leases. But when the economy slowed and the recession hit, this was suddenly out of reach. Together, the family pivoted and developed a multi-use business space instead. The facility, now called All American Business Centers (AABC), rents out space by the hour, by the day, by the month or by the year. Pricing is affordable and amenities include easy online booking, clean and updated spaces, virtual offices, conference rooms, copy machines, phone lines and a front desk manager who is personable and reliable. Ultimately, the idea is to help entrepreneurs, small businesses and organizations do well by reducing costly overhead fees and removing barriers to success. And clients are thrilled. For example, Beacon of Hope Counselling easily found space to support their organization and its specific needs. Their experience was so positive that they put down roots and have now been at AABC for more than four years.
As with Dominic’s Fine Jewelry, AABC is a family-run operation and Maria, Annalisa and Briana are all heavily involved. Having this dynamic team allows for the development of new, creative ideas. For instance, Annalisa envisions giving tenants resources beyond traditional office space. This might include bringing in speakers, hosting events or helping clients with business development. They hope this will build community within AABC -- and within the Lakeside area as whole. As we’ve all read, there are massive changes underway at the mall. But Dominic and his family know that new and exciting developments for the space are just around the corner. And in the future, when those concepts become reality, they’ll be there to help those businesses and organizations prosper too. They’ll be a partner in their success.
For more information on Dominic’s Fine Jewelry and All American Business Centers, visit their respective websites here and here.
Megan Ochmanek is a communications specialist for Macomb County Planning and Economic Development.
**Dominic’s Fine Jewelry and AABC are clients of the Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development. Working with MCPED, they have access to services like assistance with marketing, financial analysis and planning, strategic planning, management and operations. To learn how our services can help your business grow, visit http://www.MacombBusiness.com or call 586-469-5285.