Bijoux Terner was founded in 1974 by Salomon Terner in Miami, Florida but the story really begins over a decade earlier. Terner, known affectionately as “Moni,” had left his native Cuba in 1960 after the government seized control of his family’s business. In Cuba, Moni had been the president of the National Association for Handbag Manufacturers and, shortly after arriving in the United States, he launched a handbag manufacturing business of his own operating out of the basement of a local department store. From those humble beginnings, Moni soon found success designing handbags for airline flight attendants. By 1965, his young business was supplying handbags to more than 80 percent of airline carriers. Today, two of his handbags are on permanent display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
In 1974, Moni founded Bijoux Terner. Originally established strictly as a jeweler, the company soon began distributing custom designed jewelry at wholesale prices out of malls and merchandise marts. Before long, Bijoux Terner’s aim expanded to include other fashion accessories as well. Moni’s daughter, Rosa, decided to follow in her father’s footsteps and soon joined the company. With the two of them at the helm, Bijoux Terner experienced steady growth over the next twenty years.
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In 1997, Moni and Rosa decided to try selling all of the jewelry and accessories at an underperforming kiosk in Miami International Airport at $10. The location sold the merchandise five times faster than usual and, in just a few hours, had sold out. Realizing that the simple price point was perfect for travel customers who were in a hurry, the company began targeting the travel retail industry with a simple price point strategy. Bijoux Terner boutiques sprouted up in airports, on cruise ships, and casinos all around the world.
In less than a decade, the company grew to over 400 locations in more than 25 countries around the world. In 2006, after thirty-two years at the helm, Moni sold the burgeoning company to a private equity firm.
In 2007, Gabriel Bottazzi was named CEO becoming only the second CEO in the company’s over-thirty-year history. Under his leadership, Bijoux Terner has expanded its retail operations, revamped its warehouse and reporting system, introduced new product categories, and grown to over 700 locations worldwide.
