Ulman’s Jewelry celebrates 90 years in business
In an ever-changing world, it’s a pleasure to know that there are still pillars in Fredericksburg that have remained essentially unchanged since 1928.
That year, Ulman’s Jewelry opened its doors for business, and 90 years later, this pillar of the community and “rock” at 903 Caroline Street celebrated its anniversary on Monday, April 16.
Asked what the accomplishment meant to him, the owner, Jerry Ulman, confessed that it meant everything. It was his father’s store, so being able to continue the family legacy after his father’s sudden passing when Mr. Ulman was only a teenager, means a great deal. Just as noteworthy, the layout and interior of the store hasn’t changed much over the years as all the pristine display cases that border the main aisle and stand against the walls are the original cases Mr. Ulman’s father opened the store with. In those days, things were built to last.
What else in the store hasn’t changed since 1928? Its service and integrity, which Mr. Ulman attributes to what has kept them in business for 90 years.
Now in his 70s, Mr. Ulman is from an era where a man’s word was his bond and a handshake at the close of a business transaction was as good as a signature. While he admitted that people generally go into business to make money, for him, it’s not the end-all and be-all. He and his staff would rather be honest with a potential client than beguile them with half-truths in order to make a sale.
This philosophy is so ingrained in and such a cornerstone of the business that the Rappahannock-Fredericksburg Rotary Club presented Ulman’s Jewelry the Ethics in Business Award in 2017. The award is annually presented to a local business person in recognition of his or her exceptional ethical standards as it relates to business practices. Mr. Ulman was recognized for his trustworthiness, compassion, and integrity as his customers are treated like family – in a caring and fair manner.
Congratulations to Jerry Ulman and Ulman’s Jewelry for this historic milestone, and our fingers, jeweled or not, are crossed in the hopes that you remain in business for many more years to come.