Still flourishing nearly a century after it first started, Welling & Co. Jewelers now has a unique new space in Olde West Chester.
The first thing you notice as you enter the new location at 8992 Cincinnati-Dayton Road, is a beautifully-made, eye-catching brick wall across the room.
“We also had unique cases made to formulate into our environment here. In our industry you don’t see a whole lot of that,” says Bill Welling Jr., owner of Welling & Co. Jewelers.
When you walk through the showroom, what stands out most is the glass window with a jeweler behind it, working on a piece of jewelry right before your eyes.
“I think it solidifies our commitment to our customer and it also gives the customer reassurance about an heirloom they may have had for their whole life that may need some tweaking,” Bill says. “To see someone physically working on that piece, it’s the reassurance of it. This whole business is built on trust, and that emphasizes it.”
Welling & Co. started in 1920 in a Lockland storefront location opened by Welling’s grandfather and then handed down to his father and uncle. Before it was in West Chester, Welling opened his business in 1979 in Mason. Later, he moved it to West Chester—most recently the store was located in the Voice of America Centre.
“In moving down here [to Olde West Chester], you lose a bit of the connection with the retailer, so we have to show everybody that comes in an experience they wouldn’t forget, so they can pass that on,” Bill says.
“One of the things that we found out is that we are more visible on this road than where we were at VOA Centre, because we were in a group with all those stores and we kind of lost our identity in that area, whereas here, we obviously stand out,” he continues.
Aside from the prime location of the store, Welling also has a benefit right beside him: his son, Daniel Welling. He is the fourth-generation Welling in the family business.
Daniel is Welling & Co.’s designer of custom jewelry. His process is very creative for customers.
“It’s kind of like mashing different designs together,” Daniel explains. “So you take different characteristics of different pieces of what that person has highlighted as being something they like, and then you create something unique and custom with all those ideas in mind.”
Welling & Co. not only designs custom jewelry, but also has everything from boutique fashion jewelry to sterling silver.
What makes Welling & Co. a gem in the West Chester community is its drive to serve it.
“One word—service…our whole concept here is to make your shopping experience an experience you won’t forget,” Bill concludes.