How a St. Louis jewelry company is making it big on social media — and at City Foundry

A St. Louis business that’s made a big name for itself on social media is finding success at its retail location at City Foundry in Midtown.

St. Louis native Omar Badran is one of the owners behind the family business, VibeSzn. Established in 2017 as an online business, it opened its City Foundry retail location in late 2021.

“My brother was driving past [City Foundry] every day, so I think it caught his eye,” explained Omar Badran, a St. Louis native who is one of the owners behind the family business. “When it comes to jewelry, selling online is cool, but being able to offer people an experience where they’re able to see it for themselves … that’s how it’s meant to be.”

Badran has worked in small family businesses for most of his life. His first job was working with his dad and uncle in north St. Louis. Badran’s father immigrated to the U.S. from Palestine in the early 1970s. After working in Ford Motor Co. plants in Michigan, he moved to St. Louis and opened corner shops in predominantly Black neighborhoods.