A True Gem: Get to Know Gary K. Jewelers in Madison, Alabama

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November 5, 2021

Several months ago I walked into Gary K. Jewelers for the first time without knowing anything about their store and then walked out an hour later totally in love with everything I’d just learned about their history, their products, and the gigantic heart behind it all.

Gary K. Jewelers in Madison, Alabama

Gary K. Jewelers is an absolute gem of a store (no pun intended!) right here in Madison, and they’ve built a very loyal customer base while keeping their solid Christian faith at the forefront of everything they do.

Gary K. Jewelers first opened their retail store in 1999 in the same location where they can be found today, in a shopping center just east of the HWY 72/Wall Triana Highway intersection.

Jeweler Mary-Jane Khodanian Smith says that their family-run store has something for “absolutely everyone”, from the six-year-old girl who wants a pair of unicorn earrings to the woman who wants an additional stacked ring to the gentleman who needs a bit of watch repair.

Khodanian Smith says that her family’s store dates back four generations to jewelry manufacturing in Los Angeles. She shared that she grew up being around the jewelry business and saw how hard her grandparents worked at making their store the tremendous business that it was.

In the late 90s, Khodanian Smith’s family relocated to the north Alabama area, where her parents decided to jump on the opportunity to open Gary K. as their very own full-service retail jewelry store.

And for 22 years, the store has continued to grow right along with our bustling Madison community.

When asked what types of jewelry Gary K. carries, Khodanian Smith lightly chuckles and says “We have everything!”

Gary K. Jewelers carried hundreds of items in-store, including earrings, bracelets, rings, necklaces, watches, gold and alternative metal wedding bands, and more.

She continued to share that not only does the store carry everything under the sun that one may be looking to self-purchase and purchase as a gift, but that the store also specialized in bringing custom designs to life.

“If someone comes in and wants something very specific, we’ll make it happen. Those are actually some of our most fun projects!”

She continued to share that customers will often come in with a family stone that they’d like redesigned in some way.

“People bring us inherited jewelry all the time, but sometimes it’s just not their style. We can take a ring and turn it into a necklace, or we can completely reset a diamond into a new setting.”

Khodanian Smith says that their personalized custom options are typically brought to life via a 3D virtual rendering for approval before the final piece is made.

An extremely beneficial service that Gary K. Jewelers in Madison, Alabama offers is their wishlist creation option. Customers are invited into the store at any time to create a wishlist, which is then emailed to a loved one who may do some shopping.

Khodanian Smith says this wishlist option has been met with rave reviews from customers across the board.

“I’ll have women come in to make a wishlist, and then her spouse will come in before a birthday, anniversary, or Christmas and pick something out. It ends up being a win-win for both parties because the lady ends up with a piece she loves, but it was also a surprise too since she didn’t know what she was getting.”

She continued to share that men routinely praise the wishlist option and say that it removes so much stress from them.

“I have a male customer who has purchased every single thing on his wife’s wishlist over the last two years,” she shared. “There’s an element of surprise for his wife, and both parties just love it.”

When asked if she always wanted to work for the family business, Khodanian Smith laughs and says a quick “Nope!”

“I saw the long hours that my parents put in when I was growing up,” she says. “They had to build their store from scratch, and I remember how difficult it was for them.”

She says that as she got older though, she realized that “not many people get to hang with their family every day or bring their kids to work. I get to have a personal relationship with our clients, which is just priceless to me.”

One area (of many) that Khodanian Smith loves is that she feels like many of their clients are part of their extended family and that they get to be a part of theirs too.

“We get to be a part of creating jewelry for people through all stages of life,” she shared. “And we get to know them so well in the process.”

She says that the core of Gary K. Jewelers comes down to serving others with a thankful heart to God for all that He has seen them through.

“The Lord has continued to sustain us through hard times and brought us new foot traffic during uncertain times,” Khodanian Smith shares. “We hope our customers know that we will lead them in their decision-making with honesty, and we ultimately hope that our words and actions are glorifying to God.”

“We know that our clients come from all walks of life,” she shared. “And we are very grateful for each of them and always so thankful for their referrals.”