For 50 years, Gold Creations has sparkled at the heart of Charleston’s City Market—one family’s legacy forged in gold, grit, and generational charm. The business began with a yellow Volkswagen Super Beetle, parked overnight on Market Street. In 1975, Glenn and Vicki Wolfe, a young couple with a knack for sales and an eye for craft, arrived in Charleston with a selection of silver jewelry at the suggestion of a relative who lived here. By Saturday morning, they were thrilled with their success at the then-weekend-only City Market. “We made $200, stayed in a hotel, and had a steak dinner,” recalls Vicki.
After a road trip to New Mexico to source more authentic turquoise jewelry, the Wolfes found their rhythm here, expanding into 14K gold, Italian chains, and custom work. By 1977, they converted a 300-square-foot utility closet in the Market into their first brick-and-mortar.
The timing couldn’t have been better. Two years after Gold Creations opened, the Spoleto Festival launched, drawing a wave of cultured travelers and art lovers to the city. “Spoleto changed everything,” Vicki says. “It brought in a new type of customer.”
Today, Patrick Wolfe, Glenn and Vicki’s youngest son, is the chief operating officer. He speaks of the family business as a philosophy. “It’s not about any one individual sale,” he says. “We’re building relationships that span generations.”
Gold Creation’s signature collections—“Sweetgrass,” “Palmetto Tree,” “Southern Flower,” and “Charleston Ironwork”—offer nods to the city’s culture and history. Patrick, who designs much of the jewelry, takes cues from customers and colleagues alike. “We’ve always created what we couldn’t find elsewhere,” he says. “Even back in the day, my dad would design pieces out of necessity.”
While the jewelry has evolved from serpentine chains to high-end gold and gemstone designs, the store’s roots remain deeply planted in the city’s soil. “In a way, we’re selling Charleston as much as we’re selling jewelry,” Patrick says. “We’ve always been about telling a story, and this city is part of ours.”
Now, the family is looking ahead to a third generation. Vicki’s oldest granddaughter started working part-time at the shop at 15 years old. “Selling jewelry runs in the family,” Vicki says. “I hope she feels a sense of family and history, knowing her parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles have all stood in the same place.”
“I still pinch myself,” Vicki continues. “I ran off with a good-looking hippie, bought Indian jewelry, and sold it in a flea market. Now, it’s a business that’s supported four kids and many families.”
