About

GOLDBUG owner/designer Ashley Reid Martin moved to Sullivan's Island, SC in 2005, not long after earning her MFA in Fashion Design from SCAD and a stint in NYC. A NC native and UNC grad, Martin immediately fell in love with the relaxed, soul nourishing lifestyle of island living and knew she had found her place. No surprise that just a few years later, she also fell in love with an island boy, whom she married and now shares two kids and two dogs with (Miles, Wrenny, Gus, and Rosie).

Relaxed island living, global travel, modern art, and a melting pot of countless other influences has shaped Martin's vision and inspired her to create jewelry that sparks joy and radiates effortless beauty. Imperfections are celebrated as the mark of objects made with love and care, one at a time, by hand and with a soul. Inherently modern and unique, yet inspired by the rawness of the primitive, GOLDBUG jewelry speaks to a curated but carefree lifestyle.

In March of 2016 Martin fulfilled her longtime dream and opened a retail shop in the heart of the quaint business district on dreamy Sullivan's Island. In just 80 square feet she created the *world's smallest (*not verified) coastal lifestyle boutique which featured her jewelry, along with other small trinkets and treasures she had collected to complement it. Two years later she expanded the shop into the space next door and now offers a variety of specialty swimsuits and resort wear, natural beauty products, candles, hand painted greeting cards, and other unique treasures and gifts. The shop looks like a mini gallery, curated to offer the best selection of island style adornments and essentials, but don't be fooled: it really feels more like a tiki bar, where we welcome you in your bare, sandy feet (drink in hand optional) to come in and peruse while you enjoy some lively music, intoxicating scents, and good vibes filling the air.

All jewelry (*except stacking rings--we outsource those) is designed and hand made in the SC lowcountry by Martin herself using 14k gold, 14k gold fill, and sterling silver.