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Jewelers focus is to make new West Chester location shine

April 25, 2016  |  Welling and Co. Jewelers
Welling and Co. Jewelers

Journal News

WEST CHESTER TWP. —

A fourth-generation family-owned jewelry store with nearly a century of experience is working to make its new location the crown jewel of Olde West Chester.

Welling and Co. Jewelers recently moved from the Voice of America Centre to 8992 Cincinnati-Dayton Road, a renovated Olde West Chester storefront that creates “a completely different experience” both in look and in function, according to Pam Oakes, who handles sales for the store.

Instead of talking to customers over a counter, staffers are able to walk around with them from case to case, with many of them extending out to allow customers to take a closer look.

“Times are changing and people want to feel special and get personal attention, and designing the cases this way allowed us to do that,” said Oakes.

Owner Bill Welling Jr. said the design of the new store is meant to continue going “above and beyond” while adapting to changes in the jewelry-sales industry.

“It’s changing to a point where our customers have to have the ultimate experience,” said Welling. “We wanted to have something a little bit more warm, a little bit more inviting.”

The move also means more merchandise, which includes not only jewelry for thousands of dollars a piece, but also fashion jewelry ranging for $20 to $100.

“You can walk up, feel this,” Welling said as he handled a necklace, “whereas in the past you couldn’t do that. Everything was behind glass.”

The business started in 1920 in a Lockland storefront opened by Welling’s grandfather and run thereafter by Welling’s father and uncle.

Welling opened a Mason location of the business in 1979 and moved it to Cox Road and Tylersville Road in 1989 in the same plaza as Kroger. He moved it to Voice of America Centre 15 years later, then to Olde West Chester in December.

He said he learned of the building, which was built in 1920, via a customer who was retiring and thought the place would be an optimal location for Welling & Co.

Welling purchased the property, which includes 8988 Cincinnati-Dayton next door, for $340,000 and invested $220,000 to renovate the structure.

Daniel Welling, who has been working for his father since 2007, said the jewelry store’s longevity “really says something” about the business.

“We’re not only a family here but we like to welcome our customers as family,” he said.

Jason Habib of Liberty Twp., a Welling & Co. Jewelers customer for 15 years, said the new location is “absolutely gorgeous.”

“This building and the way it has been designed really goes along with the quality of jewelry that Welling offers,” he said. “You don’t feel like you are in an average mall jewelry store. You’re in a high-end jewelry store, and it shows everywhere you look.

“You can’t walk by one display in the store and not have at least three things or more catch your eye.”

 

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