Chulala offers permanent jewelry, eternal roses, tooth gems and more at their new store at the Miller Hill Mall
Chulala, LLC is a brand-new retail shop at the Miller Hill Mall. The shop’s name, which rhymes with “oooh la la,” loosely translates to “beautiful” in Spanish.
Chulala, in the Miller Hill Mall, is located between American Eagle and Bath and Body Works. Photo by Mike Busche
Here, owners Jose and Consuelo Nava, a married couple, sell unique items including eternal roses, permanent jewelry, and tooth gems. The couple has watched the popularity of these trendy items take off on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, and decided to bring them back to Duluth.
For the Navas, their end goal goes much further than simply selling merchandise. “We offer much more than a product,” Jose said. “We create memories. And, we want to make a difference in people’s lives.”
The Couple’s Background
Jose Nava is originally from Riverside, California. He and his family later moved to New Mexico, which is where he met his future wife, Consuelo.
Chulala is owned by Jose and Consuelo Nava, a married couple. Photo submitted.
The couple have a lot in common. They are both first-generation Americans, with parents from Mexico.
They bonded quickly over their shared cultural traditions, like food, faith, and close relationships with their extended family. “In our culture, we have lots of big parties, and everyone gets together for the holidays,” Jose said.
“We also have big celebrations for young women when they turn 15, called Quinceañera,” added Consuelo. “And, we always make sure our events have lots of good Mexican food, like tamales.”
In New Mexico, Jose worked in the oil and gas industry, while Consuelo stayed home to raise their four children: Sophia (12), Jose III “JJ” (11), Mateo (7), and Juan “JD” (4).
Once the kids were a bit older, the couple explored entrepreneurship, and opened a small cleaning business. They found they loved working for themselves. They also share a strong work ethic, which made owning a business a natural fit.
From South to North
The Navas relocated to Eagle River, Wisconsin in 2022, to be closer to Jose’s family. His step-father is originally from Wisconsin, and his parents had relocated here several years ago.
A job transfer ultimately brought the couple to Superior, where Jose now works full-time as an operator for Cenovus Energy. While they occasionally miss New Mexico, they both have discovered a love for life in the Twin Ports.
“I love Lake Superior,” Jose said. “Spending time at the beach (both Wisconsin Point and Park Point) take me back to my childhood in California. I also love the woods, the fall colors, and the scenery in general.”
“I love how green everything is,” Consuelo added. “I’ve never seen a place this green. I don’t miss the triple digit heat of New Mexico. And, there are no rattlesnakes!” she added with a chuckle.
The Navas will concede, however, that they do miss the plentiful Mexican cuisine down south. “I’ve never eaten as much pizza in my life as I do here,” Jose said with a laugh.
They’ve found that one local delicacy has some surprising similarities to Mexican cuisine, though: pasties.
“We’d never eaten pasties before until we moved here,” Consuelo said. “They’re somewhat similar to Mexican empanadas, although empanadas are typically sweet.”
Chulala
The Navas relocated to Superior in June 2023. While Jose worked at Cenovus, Consuelo got the children settled, and began volunteering at their school - Maranatha Academy. Now that their children are a bit older, they revisited the idea of opening another business.
Consuelo wanted to work with what she knew. “I love shopping, and I love cute and sparkly stuff,” she said. “Especially handmade stuff, and crafts. I also love the confidence boost you get from wearing something nice.”
They opened Chulala, LLC in June 2024. It began as a “mall cart,” but was successful enough to move to a regular storefront just two months later. Chulala is located between American Eagle and Bath & Body Works, in the Miller Hill Mall.
Chulala specializes in three unique items: permanent jewelry, eternal roses, and tooth gems.
Consuelo and Jose Nava, on-site at their retail store, Chulala, in the Miller Hill Mall. Photo by Mike Busche
Permanent Jewelry
Chulala sells necklaces, bracelets, and anklets in three finishes: gold-filled, rose gold, and sterling silver. You can accessorize with a variety of charms, or add multiple bracelets to form a “stack.”
The unique aspect of the jewelry is the “permanent” component. “We weld it on. There is no clasp,” Consuelo said. This type of jewelry is meant to signify commitment and is often purchased by pairs or groups of loved ones: couples, friends, family members, etc.
Eternal jewelry is meant to be a permanent sign of commitment. It is welded together and doesn’t have a clasp. Photo submitted.
Eternal Roses
These are handmade rose bouquets constructed from high-quality ribbon. “They are 100% customizable when it comes to the colors and accessories we can add, like crowns, butterflies, or your name,” Jose said.
These bouquets make wonderful gifts for anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, and other special events. And, unlike a regular floral bouquet, they last forever.
Eternal rose bouquets are constructed of ribbon, and last forever. This example shows gorgeous red roses with a sparkly crown accessory. Photo by Mike Busche.
The eternal rose bouquets can be customized in your choice of colors, and accessorized with butterflies, crowns, and other unique options. Photo submitted.
Tooth Gems
Tooth gems are sparkly Swarovski crystals affixed to the tooth using dental composite. They are semi-permanent, meaning they will last anywhere from a week to a year, depending on the pH of your mouth. Options include hearts, stars, diamonds, circles, opals, and more.
These gems can be applied right in-store. However, to remove them, the customer must either wait for gems to fall out naturally or have them removed by a dentist.
Tooth gems can be purchased and applied in-store at Chulala. They are sparkly Swarovski crystals that come in many varieties. Photo submitted.
Demographics
Chulala’s merchandise is especially popular with teens and young adults. Women are also a significant part of their demographic.
The Navas also see a lot of groups, including sisters, moms/daughters, friends, and couples. Customers enjoy using the store’s multiple “selfie booths,” where they can snap a picture (in private) of their new items.
Chulala customers love using the store’s multiple selfie booths to snap pictures of their new merch. Photo by Mike Busche.
And soon, due to a new partnership with Superior Boutique, Tiny Riot, Chulala will be selling a variety of women’s clothing, including bodycon and club dresses. “People can come in to get the perfect glamorous outfit, plus all their jewelry and accessories,” Consuelo said.
Chulala also offers permanent jewelry and tooth gem parties for any special occasion. They can either host your group on-site, or travel to any venue.
Chulala will host your permanent jewelry or tooth gem party on-site, or even travel to you. The Navas have plenty of sparkly options for you to choose from. Photo by Mike Busche
If you’re looking for the perfect holiday gift, Chulala gift cards are a great option, as items sold there are so unique and personal to the wearer.
Personal
Between work and family, the Navas are always on the go. In his limited spare time, Jose loves working out at the gym.
Consuelo also loves working out. Additionally, she cooks, bakes, and loves to shop and do crafts. With her boundless energy, she also volunteers at her kids’ school early in the morning, before work.
Church is very important to the Navas: they attend both Central Assembly in Superior, and Alliance Community Church in Duluth. Consuelo also volunteers her time at the church café.
In addition to their four children, they also have a pampered Jack Russell Terrier named Lady, who is typically decked out in pink sweaters and accessories.
Joys of Entrepreneurship
The Navas have found immense enjoyment in owning their own business. “I love knowing I have the opportunity to make a positive difference in someone’s life,” Jose said. “Life is about connection, and being an entrepreneur allows us to connect with others.”
“I love serving people,” Consuelo added. “I enjoy talking to people and connecting with them. And I love making them feel good about themselves.”
Chulala, LLC is open Tuesdays – Saturdays, from 11 am – 6 pm. For more information, please check out Chulala, LLC on Facebook or Instagram.
Chulala will host your permanent jewelry or tooth gem party on-site, or even travel to you. The Navas have plenty of sparkly options for you to choose from. Photo by Mike Busche
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Andrea Busche is a Duluth + regional freelance writer and small business owner. She is credited with over 1,000 bylines in local print and digital publications, and has been a frequent contributor to Destination Duluth since 2017.
