HARBESON, Del. - Jenny Gems owner Jennifer McMillan was crowned "Delaware Woman-Owned Small Business Person of the Year" by the Small Business Administration Delaware.
Representatives from SBA present the award at Jenny Gems on Friday. A ceremony and celebration took place outside. Corn hole boards made by the business were set up for people to play.
A selection of wooden home décor greets customers when they walk into the store on Route 9. The messages on the wooden signs are tailored to a variety of interests to help every customer find a unique gem.
Jenny Gems started in 2015 with products shipped from overseas. Price hikes and shipping delays during the pandemic caused the business to start making their products in house. McMillan says sales are up more than 50 percent with the made in America products.
"They are coming into the store on the daily basis and saying we don't want to buy overseas products anymore, we want to support American-made products. We want to support American manufacturing and American businesses," McMillan says.
"That spurs economic development in the community and lead to her being able to hire locally and so, we're just proud to be a part of her journey," says Delaware SBA District Director Michelle Harris.
Harris says McMillan has taken advantage of all of the programs and grants SBA has to offer. McMillan is now being awarded for her triumph during the pandemic.
McMillan says in a few months Jenny Gems will move to a new location in the Delaware Coastal Business Park in Georgetown, where the facility will be able to double in size.