Surviving the pandemic as a family-owned jewelry store is enough reason to celebrate, but New Jersey’s Family & Co Jewelers had double the reason to throw a party when it made it to 50 years in 2021.
And celebrate they did—the Breaux family brought in cake, a Marilyn Monroe impersonator, and pretty much everyone they knew for the anniversary.
“We like to have fun while we work, and our philosophy is to treat customers as friends,” says owner Angelo P. Breaux Sr. (pictured).
Even better is that in 2022 they get to celebrate another milestone date: It will be 85 years since they were founded as a jewelry business.
Confusing? Sort of. To be honest, the Marlton-based jewelry store gets to celebrate two anniversaries—the first in 1937, when Breaux’s grandparents opened Angelo’s Jewelry & Watches. Founders Angelo and Louise Calapristi came from Italy and settled in south Philadelphia, where the store remained for more than 30 years.
The second major date comes from when the family moved the business to Marlton on Sept. 3, 1971, when the store was known as Ed & Chris Jewelers. Edwin and Christine Breaux (second generation) ran the business from the late 1960s, after Edwin finished serving as a U.S. Marine for 26 years. The store’s opening date was special as well, Breaux says—that was his mother’s birthday.
They changed the name about 20 years ago to Family & Co. Jewelers to include everyone in the business, Breaux says. For the past 50 years, the store has remodeled, grown, and remodeled again. All through that time, they’ve had family behind the counter, he says.
Breaux says he is proud of how the small family business his immigrant grandparents started has employed five generations of their family. Today, Breaux (third generation), three of his children, Crystal, Jessica, and Angelo Jr. (fourth generation); and his granddaughter Skylar (fifth generation) all work at the family business. Skylar does most of the store’s photography, including photos for the website and jewelry appraisals, Breaux says.
Family & Co. is known for custom design work, engraving, and a large selection of engagement rings, Breaux says. A regular tagline at the store is: “If you can dream it, we can make it.”
“Bridal jewelry is another area that is very important to us, since we have a strong sense of family,” Breaux says.
Another reason they have been able to make it nearly 85 years is the family’s commitment to serving its customers and employees alike, Breaux says. Having customers who have returned for special pieces of jewelry from generation to generation is one of the best things about working at Family & Co. since he was a teen, he adds.
“We’re half family, half adopted family,” Breaux says.
Top: Angelo Breaux Sr. says his family-owned business has been around for nearly 85 years because of its multigenerational staff, great employees, and loyal customers (all photos courtesy of Family & Co. Jewelers).
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