J.R. Benet was opened in 1979 in the heart of The Historic District of St. Augustine, Florida by Marla Pennington.  Customers have been visiting the shop for 3 generations…

Marla is a St. Augustine native, and was raised next to the St. Augustine Lighthouse.  She majored in art at Flagler College and went on to design and create her own line of jewelry.  Her parents owned a gift shop and an antique shop on Anastasia Island.  Her Aunt and Uncle collected natural stones from around the world and also performed lapidary work.

While spending time with her Aunt and Uncle, Marla learned how to select good quality gemstones.  Her specialty is Larimar; her absolute favorite!  Marla grew up helping in the family businesses and learning everything about retail and creating amazing customer experiences.  Her background in art and antiques, and a keen eye for jewelry has helped her in buying unique, one-of-a-kind pieces, created by artists from around the world.  Her shop offers hand-crafted, high-quality jewelry and gifts; giving customers a memorable shopping experience.

Marla is blessed to have wonderful sales associates; many of them have been with her for years.  They are very knowledgeable about jewelry and are fantastic at making each customer feel special.

Marla’s love for animals (her rescue dog Tilly shown above), compassion for people and her belief in giving back to the community – inspire her to donate to many local charities.  St. Augustine and the community hold a special place in Marla’s life.