A familiar face in Fulton is mixing an evolving business model with a traditional service.
"It's a return to Fulton for me," said Brian Fuller, owner and jeweler of Fuller and Associates Jewelry. "I bought this building in June 1980 and operated a jewelry store until 2009 when my wife passed away. Now, I'm opening the store in an entirely new format."
The new format, Fuller said, is a mix of the traditional jeweler methods he has practiced for decades and using the internet to find the best prices and highest quality for customers.
"It's no longer profitable to stockpile inventory," he added. "Rather, we spend our time finding the highest quality and best deal for the customer. This is the future of the brick-and-mortar store. If you don't have a connection to the cyber world and a skilled trade, people will go to Amazon."
The mix, according to Fuller's associate Christina Niedergerke, manages to balance quality and price.
"If you want something that's already been made, we'll order it," she said. "If you want something that's never been made, we'll make it. Modern manufacturing wants to make everything as cheap as possible, so it won't hold up."
Fuller said not having inventory eliminates the feeling of being a pushy salesman.
"I like the format," he said "I don't have to push people to buy jewelry just because it's in the case."
A tailored approach
Fuller said the jewelry industry has evolved over the years, and retail giants in the industry have taken the personal touch away from the operation.
"You can get in your car and visit 50 jewelry stores and never see a jeweler," he added. "We have knowledge and experience in the industry. It comes down to a trust element. Jewelry has always been a confusing thing to buy."
Because of the complexity of purchasing jewelry, Fuller said he is trying to preserve the rich jewelry heritage in Callaway County.
"When I first bought the building it was Maerz Jewelers," he said. "It started out in a kiosk in the 1890s in Palace hotel by a Swiss man. It has deep roots in the community."
One of the distinct differences in his shop, Fuller added, is the individual care each customer receives in a private setting.
"The atmosphere is great," he said. "To be able to sit down in a private atmosphere where you aren't sitting on a stool with your back to a mall is special."
The benefits of being in a private setting extend further, Niedergerke added.
"You don't smell the food court!" she quipped.
Fuller said a smaller operation allows him to provide individual attention to each piece.
"When we're working on your job, we are doing your job and not 12 others," he said. "Jewelry design is a process; it takes a while."
Helping the customer pick the right styles for them is also a struggle most jewelers face. However, Niedergerke has special expertise for helping people choose the right jewelry.
"I started here when I was 16," she said. "After college, I moved to L.A. and worked for a high end red carpet jewelry designer there."
Among her clientele, Niedergerke worked with celebrity stylists, including Brad Pitt's stylist, to choose the best jewelry for the stars to wear. She also had a few run ins with other celebrities.
"I sold (basketball player) Kwame Brown an engagement ring," she added. "Him and his posse walked in and dropped a lot of money."
However, Niedergerke said the store offers more than style advice.
"Something we find with engagement rings, so often the girl picks out the ring on Pinterest and the guy comes in with a picture," she said. "The older generation may come with family rings and jewelry and we rework and rebuild them."
The shop also offers a wide range of repair services for jewelry and watches.
"Repair is most of what we do," he said. "Everything from throwing a new clasp on a necklace to rebuilding a diamond ring. I am a certified master watchmaker."
Hometown pride
Above all his career accomplishments, Fuller said his most important accomplishment is not summed up in the shaping of precious metals, but in the shaping of young minds.
"The highlight of my career is probably my protégé," he said. "I've employed and developed a lot of employees over the years. In that, you reap rewards."
Niedergerke said the highlight of her career was coming home to Fulton.
"I got all the experience and saw everything," she said of her time away. "But to come back home and back to my roots is special."
There will be an official grand opening celebration at the store on Oct. 7-8. However, Fuller said the store is currently open for business. The store is at 527 Court St., and is open Tuesday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday at 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
