Jewelry

Deb and Steve Laudick

DHI Media Staff Writer

jlangham@timesbulletin.com

VAN WERT — Well-known Van Wert business partners Steve and Deb Laudick have made an important decision in their career and in their lives. After a lifetime of service to the local community through their business, Laudick’s Jewelry Store, Inc., the popular business people have decided they are going to step down and spend more time with their family.

The Laudicks are currently involved in a liquidation sale to clear merchandise for the sale of their store. However, the sale does not necessarily mean that the Laudick name won’t continue to be prominent in the local community.

According to Steve Laudick, the current plans are to sell the business to their daughter, Katie Laudick-Harting, who will then open a new store under the name, Laudick’s Jewelry LLC. For a certain length of time, Steve will remain on, hopefully on a part-time basis, to do jewelry work for his daughter.

The goal currently is for the new store to open at the first of the year.

Katie’s husband, Cole Harting, is a teacher at Van Wert High School.

Steve noted that the family business originated on April 1, 1950, when his father, Robert Laudick, purchased the business from Leonard Ladd and changed the name to Laudick’s Jewelry. Since that time, said Steve, the business has been located on four different sites. The business finally moved to the present location in 1995.

“We liked the look of the building here; it had been a bank building,” said Steve. “There was more traffic out here. It seemed like a better all-around location.”

Steve actually became officially connected with the business in 1979. In 1986, he and Deb purchased the business.

“My mom, Rosella, was my dad’s partner in the business just like Deb is my partner,” said Steve. “My mom and dad would both be 100 years old this year.”

Steve noted that he and Deb met during Christmas break from college. Steve, a 1975 graduate of Van Wert High School was attending Miami University and Deb, a 1974 graduate of Van Wert High School, was attending Bowling Green State University. Interestingly, Steve said, he and his future wife weren’t even acquainted in high school.

Steve also attended watch-making school in Quincy, Illinois, and Gemological Institute of America in Santa Monica, California. Steve noted that he and Deb had always enjoyed the Van Wert community and desired to raise their family in this community.

In their retirement, Deb is looking forward to spending more time with the grandchildren. In addition to working with Katie, Steve, Cole and their son, Ben Laudick, carry on the working of a summer business, Summer Sealers.

“Oh, I have one more hobby,” said Steve. “I love to fly a paramotor. I love to fly; don’t be surprised if you see me flying around in Van Wert once in a while.”