Throughout 127 years of changes, Nacol's Jewelry remains focused on family - Times Record News
When Samuel Joseph Nacol opened his first general store in Eunice, Louisiana, in 1889, he probably had very little knowledge of a burgeoning Wichita Falls, which was officially incorporated that same year, or the role it'd play in the future of his family business.
It was a different lifestyle back then, and the S.L. Nacol store advertised that it sold a bit of everything, including general merchandise and jewelry.
"It was the Old West," said Jeff Nacol Turnbo, great-grandson of Samuel. "They sold jewelry, pocket watches, revolvers, old handguns, hats and vests — things a gentleman would wear. It's kind of interesting.
"It was a whole different way of life. My grandfather told me his dad would say, 'Go sell this stuff and come back when it's sold.' They would go on street corners and other families' houses. It's been fun watching how business has evolved from literally just a guy with a cart to a full-blown e-commerce and retail business."
Over the years, the business evolved with the times and followed the family. Samuel's son Adam moved from Houston to Wichita Falls in the early 1950s and opened a store on Ninth and Lamar streets.
"I remember seeing photos of my grandfather with the store downtown in the late 1950s and early '60s — how downtown was booming and that's where business was," Turnbo said. "My grandfather sold jewelry and luggage. You could even have your film dropped off there to be developed."
Since arriving in Wichita Falls, Nacol's changed locations a few more times — finally settling into its current location at 3108 Kemp Blvd. — and now specializes in jewelry, but the focus has remained the same.
"Here, it's all about the customer. That's why it makes it family — you treat that person the way you want to be treated," said Robbi Long, operations manager for Nacol's Jewelry. "It's not just hurry up and sell them something."
For Long, who had worked in corporate jewelry stores before taking her job at Nacol's eight years ago, it was a nice change of pace for her but one that Turnbo had grown up around.
"I've seen in the store at one time four generations of the same family (shopping together)," Turnbo said. "It's a trust business, not just a business for price or design. It's who do you trust to have something done."
Turnbo, the fourth generation of Nacol's in the jewelry business, has loved hearing stories from customers about past dealings with his grandfather. Since he began working for the business in 1987, Turnbo has had customers come in to share things they found tucked away in closets or attics.
"I had a woman in her late-80s bring me in an old ring box," he said. "I'd never even seen it, but it had '9th and Lamar Nacol's Jewelry.' It was an old jewelry box from the '60s. She said she had kept it because it was the one she got her engagement ring in. It was awesome."
Now, his son Jesse has gone off to study at a diamond setting and jewelry school. When he gets back in November, Turnbo said the fifth generation is "ready to put in his 50 years" and hopefully continue to hear similar stories about his father.
Nacol's Jewelry, now going into its 127th year, is planning a special giveaway to give back to the customers that have continued to shop there for generations, even though the anniversary isn't a "fancy number."
"The 127 years is significant to me because so much changes over time. It's nice to have a few things that do stay in the community," Turnbo said. "But, it's really not about us. It's about all of our customers.
"It's about the neighbors, friends and people we went to church with that have come in and bought their family jewelry, wedding rings, watches and things they find important for generations."
To celebrate the milestone, Nacol's Jewelry is hosting a weekend-long event beginning Oct. 27. They will also be giving away scratch-off tickets with a chance to win a 1.03 carat princess cut diamond.
Long said they will be releasing the details of how the tickets will be given away throughout the event on the Nacol's Jewelry Facebook page. If no one comes in to the store and scratches of the winning ticket, Long said they would do a drawing from those that came in.
Even with the giveaway, Turnbo's focus remained about family and bringing joy to future generations.
"I would love for it to become a family heirloom," he said. "Somebody could get a diamond that they could say they got to pass down from one generation to the next, so my son's son could hear the story about how they got the ring."
