Don's Jewelry celebrates 60 years - Clinton Herald
CLINTON — Don’s Jewelry, a staple in Clinton for the past 60 years, continues to serve the Clinton community.
Don’s Jewelry, located at 200 Main Ave., opened May 1, 1959, as a jewelry store with full watch, clock and jewelry repairs done on the premises, services they still provide today. Donald and Marvel Bartels turned over the business to Daniel and Sheralyn Bartels, their son and daughter-in-law.
Dan and Sheralyn Bartels in the spring of 2008, after taking ownership of Don’s Jewelry, contemplated whether to remodel, move to an existing building or build a new store. Changes were necessary to provide more room to the growing repair department and addressing parking issues at the previous location at 119 Main Ave. Ground broke for the new location in April 2008. A grand opening was held in May 2009, coinciding with their 50th anniversary.
Don’s Jewelry recently installed computer software, allowing a ring to be designed in front of the customer.
“We’re able to do just about anything with our new custom software that we can sit and design a piece of jewelry with the customer sitting right there,” Co-owner Sheralyn Bartels said. “And it puts a 3D image up on the TV screen and two to three weeks later they get their finished piece of jewelry that’s one of a kind.”
Don’s Jewelry also offers eyeglass repair completed in an hour, car remote repair, engraving, bead stringing, jewelry appraisals and buying scrap gold.
Sheralyn Bartels said Don’s Jewelry is monitoring the price of gold, adding it has varied over the 60 years that Don’s Jewelry has been in business.
“They expect it to hit crazy levels I guess by Christmas time,” Sheralyn Bartels said. “So we’re kind of watching it and waiting to see what’s going to happen.”
Sheralyn Bartels added they see numerous people who have moved away from the area bring their items to Don’s Jewelry for necessary repairs when they come back to the area to visit. She said it is always fun to see familiar faces coming back every year.
“I feel that Don’s integrity is what has kept the business around that long,” Sheralyn Bartels said. “Because when Don started 60 years ago there were 14 jewelry stores in Clinton. And today only two remain. What we learned we learned from him.”
