by James Rada, Jr. photography by Bill Ryan
With the holidays approaching, you can’t go wrong giving jewelry as a gift.
In Carroll County, you don’t have to settle for jewelry that shines but doesn’t have a lot of personality. You can find affordable, fine jewelry in locally owned stores.
Toni Pomeroy makes her customers feel like they are part of the family.
Toni Pomeroy, owner of Pomeroy’s Jewelers in Westminster, started working in a chain jewelry store when she was 17 and right out of high school.
“I love connecting with my customers,” Pomeroy said. “Some of them have become really close friends.”
This seems to be something that all of the local jewelers agree with.
“Everyone comes in happy and everyone leaves happy,” said Darlene Kegel, owner of DK Jewelers in Westminster.
With those connections and happy customers come stories.
Seth Shipley, with Shipley’s Diamonds and Fine Jewelry in Hampstead, said, “Jewelry is the best gift you can give. It’s meaningful and the pieces get passed down from year to year. There’s a sentimentality with it as people tell stories about the pieces like ‘This was your mother’s ring.’ Those stories mean a lot to me.”
After years of learning the jewelry business and connecting with customers, Pomeroy opened her own jewelry store in 2007.
“We have an attention to detail and can make an engagement ring as unique as your relationship,” Pomeroy said.
Kegel grew up in the retail world. Her parents had an appliance store where she would help out. When her parents closed their store in 1992, she considered opening a jewelry store or bridal shop.
“It was always a dream of mine,” Kegel said. “Instead I went into real estate, but when the opportunity arose I decided to pursue a long-time dream.”
She would like to think that she has everything anyone would want in her 5,000 square-foot showroom, but that’s not what she is most proud of.
“I have to say we have the best bench jeweler in the world,” Kegel said. “I’ve seen older women cry when they got their jewelry back, saying that it had never looked so good, even when it was new.”
Seth Shipley with a custom designed diamond ring.
Shipley got into the jewelry business in 1986 when he operated a jeweler’s bench in his parent’s basement. As his business grew, he moved from the basement to a real storefront. He even outgrew that early store.
“I do a lot of custom work that draws customers,” Shipley said.
Quality also attracts customers to these local businesses. Shipley travels to Antwerp, Belgium, which is known for its diamond district. There, he can find quality diamonds at affordable prices. Kegel attends jewelry shows, particularly the large ones in Las Vegas, to find new attractive pieces made from quality materials. Pomeroy said she tries not to go with designers so much so as to can keep the focus more about the stones.
As beautiful as jewelry can be, it can also be expensive. Carroll County’s local jewelers have worked to keep the prices affordable for residents.
Shipley said the key is to make sure you stay within your budget.
“If you spend too much, you’ll regret it,” he said.
Darlene Kegel, owner of DK Jewelers in Westminster, is making a conscious effort to make jewelry in her store affordable.
Kegel said she made a conscious decision to make the jewelry in the store affordable. She said a third to half of her stock is priced from $300 to $500.
Besides beautiful pieces at affordable prices, the final element that makes these Carroll County businesses successful is their experienced staff.
Pomeroy said she doesn’t consider her staff salesmen.
“They are tour guides to show customers what they are looking for,” she said.
Shipley added that many of his employees have been with him for years.
“Even if someone comes in once a year, they like to see the same person behind the counter. It makes it more personal for them,” Shipley said.
Put it all together and it’s easy to see why these local businesses are actually local jewels.
