By DIANTÉ MARIGNY
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com
After four decades of serving the South Padre Island community, beloved local business K Beads is turning a page. The bead and jewelry shop, long a staple of the island’s small business scene, has officially moved to a new location in Port Isabel’s historic Lighthouse Square. While the transition marks the end of an era, it also opens the door to a fresh start—led by the founder’s daughter, Dorothy Kumpe.
The story of K Beads began in 1984, originally opened as a shell store. Over time, the shop evolved, embracing the island’s love for creativity and color by focusing more and more on beads, jewelry, and accessories. But at the heart of that transformation—and the reason for the store’s longevity—has been Mary Kumpe, Dorothy’s mother and the driving force behind the business for the last 40 years.
Now at 74, Mary is preparing to retire after this summer, handing over the reins to Dorothy. “She’s an amazing woman,” Dorothy said. “She is super strong; she’s been a great role model for me. I really hope I can fill her shoes and keep the shop going for as many years as she’s been able to keep it going for me.”
For the past 40 years, Mary has been the soul of K Beads, keeping the business thriving and even supporting her entire family through it. “My dad left when we were 12, so she has taken care of everything since then,” Dorothy shared. “This store made it possible for us to stay on the island. It’s been a huge blessing.”
But after 38 years in the same location, change came suddenly. The owners of the former plaza decided to rebrand the space as an art district, exclusively for galleries. K Beads, which didn’t fit their new vision, was asked to move out.
“It was a huge bummer,” said Dorothy. “We weren’t really sure what we were going to do. It was a time full of uncertainty.” The hunt for a new space revealed a tough reality: “It seemed like the landlords on the island only wanted corporate tenants,” she added.
That’s when they found the new space at 423 Maxim Street, right in Port Isabel’s charming Lighthouse Square. Though bittersweet, the move has proven to be the right one.
“We were really sad to leave the island—I grew up at that plaza,” Dorothy said. “But we’re excited. The new shop is beautiful, and I really do feel confident in the move.”
The community around the lighthouse has already embraced K Beads. “It’s such a cool area. There’s the lighthouse, the pirate ship, dolphin watch, and lots of other locally-owned shops. Everyone’s been so nice, the other business owners have come by just to introduce themselves. It’s really starting to feel like home,” she said.
The new space has also given K Beads room to grow. It’s larger than their former shop, which has allowed Dorothy to expand their offerings. “We’ve added vintage sterling silver jewelry, a bead bar where kids can make their own jewelry, and even a lounge area where people can hang out while waiting for hair wraps. We’ve got games and comfy chairs now—something we could never do in the old shop.”
Of course, the move didn’t come easily. The building needed major work—leaks, mold, old carpet, the works. “We had to completely renovate it. It was a lot,” Dorothy admitted. But thanks to help from her husband and other community members, they were able to cut costs and pull it off. “We’re just now starting to see it pay off, and that spark in my mom’s eyes is coming back.”
Mary may be retiring, but she’s not going far. “She still wants to come in and help out at the shop,” Dorothy said with a smile. She also wants to finally take some time to travel—especially to Australia, where her other daughter
lives.
K Beads quietly opened its doors at the new location last Saturday, and they’re putting the finishing touches on the space before announcing a grand opening in the coming weeks. “We made a post about closing down and were overwhelmed by the response—so many of our regulars came by. Some of them were kids when they first came in, and now they’re bringing their own kids,” Dorothy said.
The support during the move has been just as heartfelt. “We had a great turnout of locals who came to help us move out of the old shop. It really meant a lot.”
As they enter their 40th year in business, the Kumpe family is looking ahead with both nostalgia and hope. “It’s bittersweet,” said Dorothy, “but we really think we made the right move.”
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