Jewelry pieces geared toward Austin audience
After 85 years in Austin, Benold's Jewelers is still striving to find a proper balance of price and merchandise that appeals to all Austinites.
"We want to appeal to Austin's core aesthetics and still maintain a tradition in fine jewelry," said Milton Doolittle, who took over as owner in 2006 after more than 20 years of working with the Laves family, the original Benold's owners.
The West Anderson Lane jewelry store specializes in bridal rings and fashion jewelry, separating itself, Doolittle said, by providing exclusive brands and uniquely Austin styles. Benold's is also the only premier boutique in Austin selling Verragio engagement rings, Doolittle said.
Doolittle in late May also attended one of the industry's premier jewelry shows in Las Vegas to help update his collection, he said. In addition, he regularly attends fashion and jewelry showcases locally to keep up on current trends.
"What women wear in Austin is different jewelry than what you'd see women wear in Houston or Dallas, where jewelry tends to be little more dressy and formal," Doolittle said.
There are also classic styles from which customers never grow weary, he said. The wide selection of inventory has helped Doolittle to increase business in each of the past five years.
"That tells us we're doing something right," he said.
Many of Benold's employees have worked for the jeweler since before its 1997 move from near the Burnet Road/North Loop Boulevard intersection. Some even have such longtime clients that employees can handpick and gift-wrap jewelry for a special occasion without either spouse viewing the item before the purchase, he said.
"They just come pick it up," Doolittle said. "It's that kind of trust that we love, and it's what keeps us here."
Those longtime employees also help connect the gap to a younger clientele base that often shops online before coming into the store to make their purchase.
"We're starting to get grandchildren coming in to get bridal jewelry whose grandparents came in here in the 1940s and '50s," he said.
Benold's Jewelers, 2900 W. Anderson Lane, Ste. F, 512-452-6491, www.benolds.com, Twitter: @BenoldsJewelers, Hours: Mon.–Fri. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., closed Sun.
