A Top Product Pick
Meryl Streep named Moonrise Jewelry one of her favorite eco-conscious finds in her Green Guide.
Green Guide Magazine
Meet the FounderA coastal life,
Owner / Designer
A coastal life,
woven into every piece.
Over the last 20 years, Moonrise Jewelry has grown from a dream and a box of beads on my kitchen table, into a cornerstone of our historic coastal community.
Virginia's Eastern Shore is a place where time slows down, allowing us to appreciate the little details that fill our lives with meaning – a warm smile, a shared laugh, a beautiful sunset. I like to think that Moonrise Jewelry is that kind of place, too. We hope you will come discover what makes our little jewel box beside the Chesapeake Bay a destination that's more than worth the drive.
Jewelry is a tiny treasure with great power for creating human connection. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your story and for being part of ours. We are truly grateful for your support of our local, woman-owned business!
Owner / Designer
1+
Years of craft
1+
Fish leather colors
1%
All-female studio
1+
Five-star reviews
Where It All Started
An entrepreneur since the age of eight.
At the age of eight, Moonrise Jewelry founder and designer Meredith Lusk began her journey as an entrepreneur in her father's drugstore — selling "sculptures" she made from seashells collected near her home beside the Chesapeake Bay. The instinct never left her.
A self-taught designer, Meredith has grown her company from the ground up since 2005, continually refining her style while aspiring to make a positive impact through her business.
Inspired by a full moon rising over the coastal wilderness of Virginia's Barrier Islands, she envisioned a way to turn her jewelry-making hobby into a sustainable enterprise — one that would create new opportunities for women in her rural local community and beyond.
Elegant by design. Coastal by nature. Every piece we make is meant to feel a little like the place it was made — Virginia's Eastern Shore.
The Moonrise Studio
Jewelry With HeartHandcrafted Locally
Made by hand, beside the Chesapeake Bay.
Each piece of Moonrise Jewelry is handmade with pride beside the Chesapeake Bay in our studio on Virginia's Eastern Shore. By keeping production local, we maintain our high quality standards while offering our clients exceptional customer service — and contributing to the economy of our rural community.
Our signature style has evolved into a fun, exotic brand of wearable art inspired by our love of the world's most beautiful coasts. Using innovative, eco-friendly materials like exotic fish leather and freshwater pearls, our "jewelry with heart" reflects the natural inner beauty of both the women who wear it and those whose hands crafted it.
Our Journey
Two Decades, One Coastline.
A brief walk down memory lane through the moments that shaped Moonrise Jewelry — from a moonlit idea to a Cape Charles flagship.
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2005
Moonrise is founded
Inspired by a full moon rising over Virginia's Barrier Islands, Meredith turns her jewelry-making hobby into a sustainable enterprise on the Eastern Shore.
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2006
First studio in Eastville
Meredith opens Moonrise's first dedicated studio in Eastville, Virginia — and is named a "Top Product Pick" in Meryl Streep's Green Guide, with features in Lucky magazine and on NBC's Today Show.
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2012
First storefront on Strawberry Street
Moonrise opens its first Cape Charles storefront on Strawberry Street. The same year, Spanx founder Sara Blakely awards Meredith a Leg Up endorsement — funding new hires and the move into wholesale.
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2016
First storefront on Mason Avenue
Moonrise moves to its first Mason Avenue address in the heart of downtown Cape Charles — closer to the year-round community of locals and visitors who'd come to know the brand.
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2022
Our historic flagship at 325 Mason Avenue
Moonrise settles into its long-term home: a lovingly restored 1920s building at 325 Mason Avenue, with the studio just behind a wall of glass French doors so guests can watch every piece being made.
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Today
Carried around the world
Meredith's original designs are now sold in boutiques, galleries, resort gift shops, and jewelry stores across the U.S., the Caribbean, and Hawaii.
A Female Force
A Studio Built by — and for — Women.
Since Moonrise Jewelry's inception in 2005, Meredith has trained local women to assist with the company's handmade jewelry production, and has worked with suppliers worldwide to source innovative and eco-friendly components for her designs. Today, our all-female team designs, crafts, and welcomes every guest who walks through our doors in Cape Charles.
Getting Noticed
Recognized by Voices We Admire.
In 2006 Meryl Streep named Moonrise Jewelry a "Top Product Pick" in her Green Guide, and Meredith's designs were soon featured in Lucky magazine, on NBC's Today Show, and in other national media. In 2012, Spanx founder Sara Blakely awarded Meredith a Leg Up™ endorsement — a boost that expanded the studio to make room for new employees and wholesale growth.
On Today & in Lucky
Moonrise has been featured on NBC's Today Show and praised by editors at Lucky magazine.
NBC · Lucky MagazineLeg Up™ Endorsement
Spanx founder Sara Blakely awarded Meredith a Leg Up™ endorsement, supporting women-owned businesses.
Spanx by Sara BlakelyThe Women Behind Moonrise
Meet Our Team.
At Moonrise, our all-female team is more than a design choice — it's a commitment. In a small, rural community like Cape Charles, good-paying, full-time work for women can be hard to come by. Meredith has built a place where talented women can do meaningful work, side by side, right here on the Eastern Shore.
325 Mason Avenue · Cape Charles, VA
Come See Where It's Made.
Watch our artisans craft each piece through the studio's glass French doors, in a lovingly restored 1920s building on Virginia's Eastern Shore.