Two generations of family jewelers in 75 years. That’s a lot of years in business for Bud Becker and his son A.G. who dedicated their lives to the family store that opened in autumn 1949. In October, A.G. and his wife Angie will be celebrating the store’s 75th anniversary.
It’s a milestone moment that says more about the past and present than it does the future. At this stage, that’s just fine for the Beckers. After years of hard work exclusively in the family business, A.G. and Angie are “enjoying the fruits of their labor” by spending time with their daughter, who resides in Arizona and is currently studying medicine.
Succession plans? “That is one big question that will be answered in the next few years,” says A.G., president of Becker Jewelers.
After dedicating his entire life to the family retail jewelry business, A.G. and his wife are entitled to live in the moment and enjoy the milestone anniversary on their own terms. A.G. and Angie hosted a March Madness store event in the spring. Customer reactions to the 75th anniversary were overwhelmingly positive.
It was the first event this year that acknowledged what A.G. and Angie have known for years: the family store has made a positive impact on the people of Breese, Illinois, and that the family business has been an integral part of the community – through hard work and perseverance – for many decades.
The Becker Jewelers story begins with A.G.’s father, Forrest “Bud” Becker, who earned a degree in horology from Bradley University. Watchmaking and watch repair work were a natural extension of Bud’s work in the armed forces. In his service to the country Bud was an instrument specialist. “This gave him experience working with his hands and small details,” says A.G.
Bud found work at Becherer’s in Bellville, Illinois. During his time there he learned that Eschmann Jewelry in Breese (a 10-minute commute from his hometown of Trenton) was for sale. In 1949, Bud decided to buy the store and named it Becker Jewelers.
Early in the store’s history, Bud and his wife Gloria had to make a difficult decision. The jewelry store was on the main floor of a two-story building. The enterprising couple inherently knew there was a better store location to pursue their retail ambitions. In 1954, they made the arduous decision to move the store to a different location on North Main Street, which would become the store’s permanent home.
Bud and Gloria relied heavily on newspaper ads to drive in customers. Early on, the 1,000-square-foot store housed merchandise ranging from typewriters, fountain pens, lamps, clocks and some jewelry. “Back in the day Becker’s was known for watch and eye glass repair work,” says A.G. “Bud was a watch inspector for the B&O Railroad, which had a depot in Breese.”
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, A.G. worked in the family store as a young boy. A.G. did the usual store maintenance and then graduated to engraving work around 10 to 12 years old. Four years later it was watch repair work.
Like his father, A.G. attended Trenton Jewelry School, where both learned the essentials of jewelry repair and gemstone setting. A.G. also completed much course work with GIA (Gemological Institute of America).
It was time for postsecondary education for A.G. He decided to study advertising. But the year A.G. started college was also the time Bud experienced medical issues. “I used to commute home on the weekends to help my father in the store,” says A.G.
A.G. had a strong interest in the advertising world, but landing such a job was never part of the universe of career possibilities. “It was an easy transition for me,” says A.G. “I was very creative and could do things and create things with my hands. Plus the jewelry industry has provided a good living for our family over the years.”
When A.G. took over the store in 1990, his degree in advertising was a key strength. He successfully leveraged that knowledge and helped the business grow. Unfortunately, Bud wasn’t around long enough to watch his son’s ambition take hold. Bud died the year A.G. took over the family business.
Bud’s legacy lived on in many ways outside the family store. In 1980, Bud joined the RJO (Retail Jewelers Organization). Originally the buying group helped cost-savings by buying collectively. The industry-related education that came with buying events was a big bonus. At a young age A.G. became very active in RJO.
“At a young age I was asked by Ed Bacon to join the merchandise review committee, which I served on for approximately nine years and then stepped up to a board of directors position for the last approximately 20,” says A.G. “Our store would not be in the financial position or as large as it is and serve the people we do without the support of RJO.”
Milestone anniversaries are just as much about reflection of the years as it is celebrating them. A.G. and his wife opened a second store in Highland, Illinois in 1995. The expansion brought much in terms of business expansion and sales growth. As many store owners of multiple locations will attest, it’s hard work having more than one door.
Eventually the Highland store was closed and the businesses were consolidated. A.G. and Angie are concentrating all their business acumen on the store location where it all started. “At this stage of our lives we accomplished much and we’re ready to concentrate on what really matters – family,” says A.G.
The North Main Street store hardly remained its modest store size. Through expansions and renovations over the years the couple now has a fine jewelry store boasting 5,000 square feet.
Seventy-five years of retail success and experiences will be celebrated with customers from October 7 to 12. A.G., Angie and their staff will be giving away $7,500 worth of fine jewelry.
“We’ve organized with our local hospital and will be able to raise money for a further auxiliary scholarship fund,” says A.G. “We call this Dig for Diamonds. The first of the year each month we’ve held events such as donating money to the Clinton County Humane Society based on a percentage of sales we’ve had at national charity buying events. And, we’ll be hosting a Whiskey and Watches event for the gents.”
