A jewelry-making studio born in a college bedroom in Provo, Utah, is about to set up shop in North Texas. Gem Studio plans to open its first Texas location at 2601 Preston Road, Unit 2096, inside Stonebriar Centre in Frisco, bringing its torch-and-solder workshops to one of the region's busiest shopping destinations.
The brand's arrival at the mall marks a milestone for a company that started as a side hustle to fund a school overseas. As WhatNow reports, founder Matt James started Gem Studio as a fundraiser to support a primary school for at-risk orphans that he co-founded in Uganda. James eventually dropped out of college to teach jewelry-making full time, according to the outlet's reporting, and later met his now-business partner Lauren at one of his own workshops.
From a Backyard Shed to a National Brand
Gem Studio's origin story reads like a classic bootstrap tale. James renovated a shed in a friend's backyard as one of the earliest incarnations of the studio, per the same reporting, before he and Lauren built it into what the brand's own website describes as a fast-growing jewelry experience brand with locations across the United States and Canada. Gem Studio was founded in 2017, and the Frisco opening will mark its first Texas location, the outlet notes.
The company's expansion has moved briskly beyond Texas as well. Before targeting the Lone Star State, Gem Studio had already opened workshop locations across Utah, Idaho, Arizona, California, and Hawaii, and it launched its first international outpost at The Well development in Toronto, according to Retail Insider. As reported by Hoodline, the company is also preparing to solder its way into Alderwood Mall in Washington state this fall.
What Happens Inside a Gem Studio Workshop
Gem Studio describes itself as an experience brand centered on jewelry making and humanitarian work, and its workshops are designed to be social, high-energy, and memorable, according to WhatNow's reporting. Sessions typically include torching silver, welding permanent jewelry, and building charm necklaces, and participants can also design inlay rings, bolo ties, cuff links, key chains, and pet collars, per details listed by Gem Studio itself.
Pricing follows a fairly consistent structure across locations. The standard silversmithing workshops run two to three hours and charge a base instruction fee of $85 plus the cost of chosen gemstones, with finished customer pieces typically running between $125 and $160. Gem Studio has said its goal is to make the experience unforgettable and have customers leave with a new friend and something they are proud of.
An Anti-AI Bet on Screen-Free Crafting
The Frisco debut lands amid a broader industry shift toward hands-on retail experiences. In a July interview with Utah Business, James described the company's screen-free workshop model as an anti-AI bet, arguing that Gen Z consumers are increasingly seeking analog crafting experiences to counter digital fatigue. A July trade analysis in Southern Jewelry News similarly noted that permanent jewelry stations and interactive craft workshops are increasingly driving physical store traffic as shoppers seek shared experiences over traditional transactional purchases.
James's own path into the industry has drawn attention beyond the jewelry trade. He self-taught basic silversmithing through YouTube videos at age 23 before inviting friends to his apartment to make rings, a trajectory that helped land him a spot on Utah Business's 40 Under 40 list in February. He co-founded the Ugandan school initiative at age 22 following a 2013 volunteer trip, partnering with local leaders in Mbale to construct a three-classroom facility that has since grown into a five-acre campus, according to Voyage Utah Magazine.
A Charitable Thread Runs Through the Business
That nonprofit, 1 Heart 1 Mind, now supports more than 250 at-risk children in Mbale, and Gem Studio donates a meaningful portion of its revenue to the organization. The charitable mission effectively predates the commercial business, tying every soldered ring back to the school that inspired the company in the first place.
Why Stonebriar Centre, and Why Now
Stonebriar Centre is one of the Dallas-Fort Worth area's most visited malls, spanning over 1.7 million square feet across three levels with roughly 224 stores under Brookfield Properties ownership. The mall opened in August 2000, when Frisco was a growing suburb of roughly 33,700 residents, up from about 6,000 in 1990, and its construction helped catalyze the city's transformation into a major North Texas economic center, according to the Dallas Morning News.
Gem Studio's arrival fits into a wider wave of new tenants at the property. Stonebriar Centre management confirmed a slate of lifestyle and retail additions throughout 2026, including Alo Yoga, Abercrombie & Fitch, Princess Polly, Editked, Offline, Urban Outfitters, and Little Woodrow's Bar & Grill, as Hoodline previously reported on the mall's tenant refresh. The mall has also been the subject of local health inspection scrutiny this year, after Frisco officials shut down a mall drink stand and an Indian eatery over health violations.
An official target opening date for Unit 2096 has not been confirmed, and it remains unclear whether Gem Studio will hire local silversmith instructors in Frisco or how the Texas debut might shape further expansion across the Sunbelt.
