FOUNDER // CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Thanks to her father, jewelry designer MK BYRNE had a hammer in her hand as soon as she could hold one…

In 2021, MK sold nearly everything she owned and traveled west with only her dad’s tools, a box of rocks, and her favorite plants. One rainy Saturday night she journeyed to Ballard. The street’s bright energy, hand-built atmosphere, and unfettered self-expression sang to her. It was as if she had come home - to a place she had never been before. This was the place for her new beginning.

She opened her first location off the main Ave as a studio-store, creating jewelry in the window while her puppy, Ashitaka, played at her feet. The community nurtured their growth, supporting her designs while neighbors became like family. In the same year. she would hire a team and move into one of the most iconic spaces in the neighborhood. BEGIN, her dream of a jewelry gallery, took flight.

A little over a year later, she embarked on a new concept: VOYAGER. This time with the help of a team on the expedition, the long laborious process of building out a 2,000 sq ft store from the ground up started. It took them about a year to actualize the vision of an immersive experience offering curated goods and clothing for every day adventure.

Three years in Ballard, a puppy, two stores, a husband, and a bad ass team now brought together…the story is just beginning…

VOYAGER CAPTAIN // TEAM NURTURER

After nearly a decade in higher education as a graduate student, English instructor, and academic advisor, Kelsey completely changed her trajectory when she, her spouse, and their cat relocated to Seattle from the Midwest in 2021. She used the cross-country move as an opportunity to rediscover her love of teaching and working creatively in ways she’d never before considered.

And it all started when she wandered into a gorgeous jewelry shop, picturesque and perfect, on a cozy corner of her new neighborhood.

Kelsey joined the team in summer of 2022, and she couldn’t have asked for a better company in which to lay her roots. She started out at BEGIN by making strong, genuine connections on the sales floor and helping manage inventory. In 2023, she helped MK renovate the space that would later become Voyager, and after one last big renovation in January 2024, she started managing Voyager full time.

Whether at BEGIN or Voyager, one of her favorite tasks is helping brides find the right jewelry and/or ensemble for their special day without breaking their budget. She loves maintaining beautiful spaces, building relationships with locals and visitors alike, and is a proud steward of the Ballard community.

BEGIN CAPTAIN // STUDIO MANAGER

Alicia grew up in Colorado. She credits her mother for her love of making beautiful things with her hands and her father for sharing his passion for the outdoors and rock collecting. She graduated with a degree in Biology and began working as an aquarist. Her love for the ocean brought her to California to study marine mammal migration and then to a salmon hatchery in Alaska where she fell in love with the PNW. While there, she found her passion for jewelry making.

She moved to Ballard in early 2020 and knew she had found her community. She met MK at a local coffee shop and the friendship bloomed. Alicia joined the team at BEGIN in spring of 2022. She apprenticed under MK, learning how to fabricate her original designs. She is now helping to teach the rest of the staff these skills and designing her own pieces.

In 2024, she became the manager at BEGIN and loves being able to create a space where everyone can find beautiful adornments.

SALES ASSOCIATE

Zoë joined the team in June 2024, and is thrilled to be a part of such an unfailingly creative, kind, and nurturing team. Zoë enjoys caring for both BEGIN and Voyager via her attention to detail and deep love for tasks and passion projects.

As an aspiring social worker, Zoë thrives on building connections with guests and creating safe, welcoming, and inclusive spaces for all to inhabit. She is eager to continue fostering community at both spaces.