Published: September 01, 2008 12:44 am      

Jeweler a 24-karat success

ASHLAND — J&S Jewelry has been a family enterprise for more than two decades.

John Paul Walters and his wife, Sylvia, founded the store in 1980, but their children and other family members have since taken over. J&S started with an emphasis on its pawn business, then expanded into fine jewelry and golf apparel, but slowly over time has been returning to its roots.

The store at 222 16th St. is still owned by the couple, but the responsibility for making it a viable business has been passed to the next generation.

Philip Walters, 44, one of the couple’s three sons, has worked in the shop since he was 16. He, along with his brothers and sister, has another job, but sister-in-law Vicki Walters, 44, picked up the torch and runs the day-to-day operations of the store with part-time help from retired cousin Rex Walters, 71.

Vicki Walters started working at the store while dating her husband, Greg Walters, in the early ’80s. “His dad needed part-time help,” she recalled. “I said I’ve never worked in retail but I’ll give it a try. I’ve stuck around for 26 years.”

Philip Walters said all of his brothers and sisters and many of their children have worked and continue to work at the store at one time or another. In fact, the store has only one employee who isn’t related, clerk Jesse Parsley. But, the Walterses say Parsley is such a close family friend they claim he’s a Walters, too.

Philip Walters said his father’s legacy lives at the building he worked in for more than 40 years through the business practices he instilled in the family.

Philip Walters recalled the weekend the store first opened under John Paul’s ownership. John Paul Walters began working at the location in the early ’50s when it was J Loan, owned by Maury Frank.

John Paul eventually purchased the building and when Frank decided to retire, planned to buy it from him, but the two men couldn’t reach an agreement on price for the existing merchandise.

Philip Walters said the family stockpiled merchandise in the home for weeks, and then on the night of July 31, Frank moved out with his merchandise and the Walterses moved in.

Overnight, the family painted, cleaned and stocked the store, which it reopened at 8 a.m. the next day under a new name, J&S Jewelry.

Since then the store has never closed for upkeep and maintenance. “Dad instilled that in me,” Philip Walters said. “If you want to sell something, you’ve got to be here.”

Most of the changes at the store have been spurred by changes in the downtown and increased competition from other stores.

“It’s a whole different philosophy of retail now,” said Philip Walters. “Sometimes you have to get real creative to draw people in.”

About 15 years ago, the store remodeled and expanded, shifting its sights toward becoming more upscale and focusing more on jewelry and golfing equipment.

“We got away from pawn, but now it’s going back that way,” Philip Walters said. He said the store has also moved away from stocking a lot of new merchandise. Now it mostly does special orders for customers instead.

Philip Walters said the store does its best to survive and provide items people want.

He said his parents have their building up for sale but are not actively trying to sell the business.

CARRIE KIRSCHNER can be reached at ckirchner@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2653.