Reeds Jewelers Marks 80 Years With Events, Store Opening, and Founder Tributes

By Karen Dybis | August 03, 2026

Reeds Jewelers is celebrating 80 years in business by honoring its history and its future with client events, a new store opening, and lots of stories about its founders, Bill and Roberta Zimmer.

Reeds became one of the nation’s largest family-owned jewelry retailers with more than three dozen locations across 13 states because of how Bill and Roberta took care of their communities and their customer-centric philosophy, says Genna Zimmer, vice president of strategy and operations and Bill and Roberta’s granddaughter.

Zimmer says Bill’s famous quote still resonates with her: “The most important thing I’ve learned is that you never argue with a customer. You’ve just got to do right by people.”

Her grandfather was the heart of Reeds, and his legacy of generosity is still talked about to this day. She recalls a time when she was at a doctor’s office, and the nurse helping her was in tears telling a story about how Bill treated her “like a million bucks” when she visited the store, Zimmer says.

REEDS Jewelers Fenton — *Reeds in May held the grand-opening party for its latest store—one of its luxury Landmark locations, in Cary, N.C.*

“Bill was the face of the business, and he was an extremely generous man even before he was successful,” Zimmer says. “At his funeral, there were people lined up around the block to pay their respects because his life touched so many.”

Bill and Roberta bought a jewelry store in 1946 in Wilmington, N.C., and changed its name to Reeds. (As the story goes, Reeds was a reference to a jewelry store Bill Zimmer’s grandfather had operated in Buffalo, N.Y.) Bill died in 2002; Roberta died in 2017.

Their son, Alan, joined the business in 1981 and now serves as CEO. The Reeds leadership team also includes Zimmer’s cousin Mark Schreiber, the vice president of store operations and head of recruiting, as well as her sister Brittney, the senior buyer who specializes in diamonds.

Zimmer began her career in corporate finance but in 2015 returned to Reeds, where her work centers on its retail stores. Her main goal is to keep the family’s legacy alive and build the next generation of Reeds—for example, Zimmer is the mother of a nearly 6-month-old baby girl.

Bill Robeta zimmer — *Bill and Roberta Zimmer opened their first jewelry store in 1946.*

“There’s no better way to be a part of people’s moments than to be a part of a jewelry store,” Zimmer says. “We’ve been celebrating that with our customers with some ‘surprise and delight’ giveaways and inviting people into our stores for anniversary events.”

In May, Reeds held the grand opening of its newest Landmark location at the Fenton mixed-use development in Cary, N.C., as part of its expansion across the southeastern United States. The 7,800-square-foot showroom boasts areas for bridal consultation, luxury seating, and watch brands including Rolex, Omega, Tudor, and Breitling.

The simple design of that first Reeds store has evolved into today’s more experiential layout where people can feel special throughout the buying process, whether they’re looking for an engagement ring, an anniversary gift, or a retirement watch, Zimmer says.

“They genuinely built a business on a love for people,” she says of her grandparents, “and we want to see that live on. Bill was the mayor of his store, and our goal is for our people in each location to have that same connection.… We’ve been celebrating momentous occasions with our customers for 80 years, and we are going to do that for another 80.”

Top: Bill Zimmer stands in front of his original jewelry store in Wilmington, N.C. The business is celebrating 80 years in 2026. (Photos courtesy of Reeds Jewelers)