25 Years of Lulu Ave: Built Through Every Move, Every Risk, Every Restart

In 2001, Lulu’s Jewelry was born in Gardena, California.

It wasn’t some big, polished brand. It was a small setup, built by my mom and dad with no real roadmap just the intention to start something of their own.

Shortly after, the business moved to Norwalk, California, where it officially became Lulu’s Body Piercing.

That’s where things really started to take shape.

Figuring It Out From Scratch

In the early days, we sold traditional jewelry.

Then slowly, we transitioned into body jewelry and eventually into piercings.

The crazy part?

My mom and dad had no experience piercing when they started.

They taught themselves.

(How? I honestly have no idea… )

Over time, more experienced piercers came on board and helped guide us, refine our process, and get us on the right track.

But those early years were built on pure hustle, trial and error, and figuring things out in real time.

The First Closures… and the First Restart

Our first location didn’t last not because the business failed, but because the mall itself was shutting down.

That became a pattern in our story.

Instead of quitting, we moved.

We relocated to the Norwalk Indoor Shopping Center, and that’s where piercing services really became a core part of the business.

From 2002 to 2017, we operated out of Norwalk.

15 years.

That location built everything our reputation, our client base, and the foundation of what Lulu Ave is today.

A Major Upgrade: Westminster Mall

In 2015, history repeated itself.

Another shopping center. Another closure.

So we made another move this time to Westminster Mall in Orange County.

This was a completely different level.

Going from Norwalk to Westminster felt like night and day.

Bigger space. Better exposure. A more elevated environment.

Around this time, my parents stepped away, and my brother and I took over the business.

We weren’t just maintaining it we were stepping into it, learning how to lead it, and eventually, how to evolve it.

Surviving Another Closure

We stayed in Westminster from 2015 to 2025.

And once again the environment around us started to change.

Foot traffic declined. The mall began to fade.

Another closure was coming.

At this point, it would’ve been easy to feel like history was repeating itself in the worst way.

But instead, we made the most important move we’ve ever made.

Breaking the Pattern: Our First Streetfront Store

Before the Westminster Mall could fully shut down, we made the decision to move to Belmont Shore in Long Beach.

This was different.

No more malls.
No more indoor shopping centers.
No more relying on someone else’s space to survive.

For the first time ever, we had a true streetfront location.

A place that was fully ours.

In July 2025, we officially opened and with that, we stepped into a new era:

Lulu Ave.

After 25 years, we retired the name Lulu’s Body Jewelry & Piercing.

Not because we were leaving it behind but because we had grown into something bigger.

What 25 Years Really Means

This business has been rebuilt multiple times.

Different cities.
Different locations.
Different challenges.

But the one thing that never changed?

We kept going.

Through every closure, every move, every unknown we adapted.

That’s what 25 years really represents.

Not just time.

But resilience.

To My Parents

None of this exists without my mom and dad.

They started this with no experience, no guarantees, and no clear path just work ethic and belief.

They built something real.

Something that lasted.

Something worth continuing.

What’s Next

Lulu Ave isn’t the end of the story.

It’s the start of the next chapter.

A stronger brand.
A clearer vision.
And a foundation built from 25 years of experience.

If you’ve ever been pierced by us, shopped with us, supported us, or even just followed along

You’re part of this story.

And we’re just getting started.