Mahri Anagnostis excelled in art design in high school. She later went one to study jewelry design at Syracuse University, and with enamelist Earl Pardon at Skidmore College. Anagnostis also got a Masters of Fine arts in jewelry from Indiana Univeristy.

She went on to open her own jewelry store, MAHRI, which now also sells women's clothes and gifts, and has two locations. Her daughter Aimee has taken over the business since Anagnostis' passing.

Anagnostis often said she never worked a day in her life.