Fine Jewelry, Fine Folks: Simon Jewelers
On the first Saturday of every month, Gary Simon opens up his jewelry shop for Service Saturday. Along with the beautiful pieces Gary has on display for the customers, there are wine tastings, spirits tastings, apple cider, cheeses, fruits, soft drinks, and complimentary jewelry cleanings and inspections available for his guests. As customers drift in and out, the employees of Simon Jewelers work to make the influx of people feel comfortable.
“We came up with this idea of Service Saturday,” Gary says, “where we invite people to come in to get your ring cleaned or checked. We make it an open house. It's a time where you can bring in a friend that's never been here before.”
“The people feel like they can come in uninhibited,” his wife Sherri Simon adds. Sherri, like her husband, treasures the relationships they have built in High Point through their family-owned jewelry store.
At Simon Jewelers, Service Saturdays show two things: their passion for jewelry and their dedication to serving others.
For Gary, jewelry runs in his blood. Originally from Norfolk, Virginia, Gary learned from his father, who was also a jeweler.
“I was always fascinated with the watchmakers, always had a fascination for watches and gadgets” Gary says.
Coming to North Carolina for college, Gary found his way back to the jewelry business, originally working alongside his brother. Spending time in wholesale for three years, Gary had the opportunity to travel to a different jewelry store every day, all across the country. From Missouri to Illinois, to Texas, to Pennsylvania, Gary received the perfect insight into the jewelry business.
“I tried to take the best of what I saw out there,” Gary explains. “In every store I would see really great things that were happening in the business, and then I would also see things I didn't like.”
Following his three years of wholesale and his insider’s look into jewelry stores, Gary decided to take the chance to start his own business in 1988.
Gary laughs, “I reached the point where I really didn't want to travel forever, and I said, ‘How am I gonna get off the road?’ I'll start a store!” While Gary may joke, his store was and is more than a way off the road; it’s a way to serve others. Gary sees his business as a “hybrid.” Using his wide knowledge of the jewelry business and his passion for serving others, not only does Gary strive to offer the best product and experience to his customers, but he works to combine it with the care, warmth, and personal touch that he feels comes with the territory of working in jewelry.
“What could be more special than the things you wear on your hands, your neck, or your ears that were given to you by a loved one?” Gary asks.
With this delicate touch in mind, Gary prides himself on his shop’s ability to offer comfort to his customers and service their items in store. Over the years in High Point, he has gained trust and confidence from his customers, knowing that their intimate valuables are tended to by a caring hand. Which just so happens to be the same hand his customers shake as they walk into Simon Jewelers, because 90% of what Simon Jewelers does for their clients is done at the store, not shipped off to an outside vendor.
Further, Gary admits there’s a little bit of the old school in Simon Jewelers. Gary wants his store to have a real sense of hospitality, earning his stripes with a brand of attentive and accepting professionalism.
“I tell my sales staff all the time that every person that comes into our store is entitled to a showtime experience,” he says.
Regardless of how simple or complex their request, what they want to purchase, or if they walk in wearing gym clothes or a suit and tie, the customers at Simon Jewelers always receive the store’s – and Gary’s – best.
While there is an endless amount of attention put into the store’s operations, Gary works to give as much care to the broader High Point community the store it’s nestled inside of. Before moving to High Point, Gary and Sherri lived in Winston-Salem, but would often visit High Point. They enjoyed the High Point Arts Council’s jazz concerts and began to gain a love not just for their customers, but the greater High Point community. When Gary originally opened his store, he took notice of the lack of jewelry stores in the area and saw High Point as the perfect place for him to start his own business. But this was far from a purely opportunistic venture.
Sherri explains, “We wanted to make an impact in the community. We didn't want to just have a retail store; we wanted to be part of the community and be able to live and work in the same area.”
After moving Simon Jewelers to the corner of North Main and Lexington in 1997, Gary and Sherri became more and more aware of the broader vision to develop High Point further – a vision they hoped to be a part of. Gary and his wife ardently work to partner with High Point-based non-profits. From Gary being a member of the Rotary Club to the business partnering with Family Services of the Piedmont, Gary and Sherri both take a very “boots on the ground” approach to their service.
“That's how we were raised,” Sherri explains. “I have been volunteering my whole life. With my parents, it was a given that if we made a dollar, a third of it went to charity. If we didn't have money, we donated time. Plain and simple.”
“I don't think you can be a community business without giving something to your community,” Gary adds.
As for the business, Gary and his wife hope to one day see their location in Uptowne High Point continue to develop into a place where people feel comfortable to shop, walk, and discover. Aside from events like Service Saturdays, Simon Jewelers has partnered with neighboring businesses like Monkee’s of High Point, to hold sales and help create events that bring people out to Uptowne High Point.
“My favorite part of the jewelry business is when people fall in love with the pieces of jewelry," Gary notes. "We get to help people with things that they wear that are the most important thing in their life. It's a special connection you have with people. These are the things that people never take off.”
Through all of Gary and Sherri’s work, they both remain incredibly grateful for the place that Simon Jewelers has had in High Point’s community.
As a business so heavily focused on service, be it to their customers or their community, Gary and Sherri have both come to appreciate and cherish the relationships they have built with their customers.
“We get to help people with things that they wear that are the most important thing in their life. It's a special connection you have with people. These are the things that people never take off.”
Gary Simon, Owner of Simon Jewelers
“We're third generation now, serving the grandchildren of our first customers. What better compliment can any business receive than repeat business from the same family?” Gary asks.
After all, Gary finds himself most thankful for the longevity that Simon Jewelers has had in High Point. Like the jewelry sold at Simon Jewelers, the Simons see their business as part of High Point’s history and legacy.
Discover our High Points,
The HPD Team
Photography by Aura Marzouk Photography