Fine Since ’89: Celebrating the Finer Things with Eleanor Pitts Jewelry & Gifts

By: Ashley Daniels

Since 1989, Eleanor Pitts has been a household name and the cherished meaning behind countless special celebrations and memories with loved ones.

Before the fine jewelry and gift shop opened its doors at The Shops at Oak Lea in Pawleys Island that year (one month before Hurricane Hugo demolished the South Carolina coast), the business’s origins were in Kingstree, South Carolina, where Eleanor’s husband, Bill, owned a pharmacy. After Bill bought a new pharmacy, she converted the old building into a fine gift shop – one of the first in the state to sell Waterford crystal.

“It was always my interest,” says Pitts. “That’s what I liked, and do what you like. I had an eye for buying and putting things in my shop that people liked, and I always felt like if I liked it and I would take it home or wear it, then most of my customers would like it, too.”

Today, Pitts’ shop is known in Pawleys and beyond for selling the finest collections of jewelry, gifts, and China. Expect only the most luxe fashion jewelry lines here that stand the test of time, such as Roberta Coin, Marco Bicego, Alwand Vahan, Temple St. Clair, and more.

“Basically, if you buy fine 14- or 18-carat gold traditional jewelry, you will have it forever,” says Pitts. “It’s never going out of style, in my opinion, because I wear things I’ve had for 50 years. If you buy nice jewelry, you hand it down to your granddaughters and daughters … You’ll have it forever.”

Pitts has built generational success through Eleanor Pitts Jewelry & Gifts, working alongside her husband and her daughter, LeAnne Daniels, whom she describes as a driving force.

“She does a lot of the buying and selections with me,” says Pitts. “Fortunately, we have pretty much the same taste, so that’s good. It’s nice to get a younger point of view and to have her in here as much as she can be here.”

When Pitts was asked if she had any plans to retire, she answered with a laugh, “No plans, but my husband and I think about it. We just can’t seem to pull the trigger and do it.

“I just love what I do,” she continues. “And I enjoy seeing all the people that come in here. We have made so many friends through the years with people I met here, and also, some of my sales reps we’ve formed friendships with because we have a lot of good ones that represent companies that have been coming in here for years. It’s good to be able to meet new people as well as keep your old, returning customers.”

Pitts prides herself on her family and longtime sales staff’s devotion to providing high-quality customer service over the decades. She knows how important it is to find the perfect gift for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, baby showers, or any special occasion. And it all began with her special touch in selling Waterford crystal in Kingstree.

She says May through summer tends to be a busy shopping season, with the upcoming Mother’s Day holiday, weddings, and more.

“And we have a lot of customers coming in from out of town, new and old, because of a lot of new people from other states moving to the Grand Strand,” says Pitts. “We don’t just have North and South Carolina clientele anymore. There are many moving in from New York and New Jersey.”

Eleanor Pitts Jewelry & Gifts hosts a rotating lineup of popup designer shows throughout the summer, including one in June from The Mazza Company, an international brand. For more information and updates, visit Eleanorpitts.com.