Michigan-based DeVries Jewelers is expanding to give employees more elbow room and customers a dedicated bridal sales department and on-site repair and service area.
The family-owned jeweler will grow from about 1,600 square feet (which includes a 1,000-square-foot showroom) to 6,000 square feet over two stories when it moves from 411 to 433 Leonard St. NW in Grand Rapids.
DeVries’ new store will encompass a 2,150-square-foot showroom and a 2,440-square-foot second floor, where the bridal department will be located, as well as a lounge and bar that can be used for events, such as trunk shows, product-line introductions, and private shopping experiences, says co-owner Dan DeVries (center, above).
“It’s a big step for us. We’ve been around for a long time, and we have a super loyal customer base. This gives us the opportunity to grow and to make a big statement in Grand Rapids,” he says. “More than anything, retail is experience-driven, so we want to create a fun atmosphere and a cool retail space where you can buy something great.”
Construction on the store began in February, and DeVries said it is looking good to be completed by mid-October. And yes, the jeweler is moving only a few feet away. DeVries Jewelers has relocated three times over the years, all within the same two blocks of Leonard Street (from 128 to 423 and then 411). To build the new store, the DeVries family purchased the former Lannings Restaurant & Catering property and demolished it in January.
Having more space will be great for the the fifth-generation jewelry business, says DeVries, as staff need a bit more breathing room in the offices, too. Building a store from the ground up allows the family to dream big about what they want for customers and for themselves, DeVries says.
“There’s five people who use the office now, and it’s getting tight in there,” he says, noting that the extra space will also allow the business to bring on four or five more employees to serve the community. The store will also be able to add jewelry lines, offering customers more reasons to visit.
The new store will have a brick exterior and high windows to emulate other historic buildings on Leonard Street, one of the most architecturally interesting areas in Grand Rapids. Inside, a second-floor balcony overlooks the main-floor showroom, which will have vaulted ceilings. Jeweler workstations and a vented polishing area will be located on the first floor.
DeVries says the family is looking forward to welcoming couples to the bridal area—if they have great service during that all-important shopping trip, he says, couples will think of DeVries when they are ready to make additional purchases.
Another highlight of the new DeVries store will be dedicated parking spaces. Whereas the current store has no private lot, the new location will have a lot with 25 spaces, plus DeVries is adding a 50-space lot it will share with other businesses, DeVries says.
Dan and his brother Dave became co-owners of DeVries Jewelers in 2008. Their grand-grandfather Siebern DeVries opened the business in the 1901, selling jewelry and eyeglasses and doing repairs on jewelry, glasses, and clocks. He started only selling jewelry in 1921.
Siebern’s wife, Cornelia, ran the store after he died of pneumonia, and their son Gerald took over the business in 1935. He was succeeded as owner in the late 1980s by his son Dennis, Dan and Dave’s father. Dan’s son Paul is now the store’s general manager.
Top: Paul, Dan, and Dave DeVries (photos courtesy of DeVries Jewelers)
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