Articles and News
Corinne Jewelers Re-Opens, Re-Brands | August 13, 2014 (0 comments)
Toms River, NJ—Corinne Jewelers officially reopened July 31 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its newly remodeled location at 917 North Main Street (Route 166), serving customers in Ocean and Monmouth counties.
Reopen, of course, is a relative term, as the store has been thriving. The event really is a celebration of success. “This marks a vibrant new era for us,” said Ryan Blumenthal, third-generation owner with his wife, Allyssa. “We’ve doubled our showroom, renovated our décor, and have a more functional layout which allows us to present more of what our customers want: quality jewelry, particularly engagement rings, fashion, and custom design, which are our primary focus.
"Last year we grew our business 30%. We were busting at the seams. Plus it was our 50th anniversary, and my parents (Mary and Craig Blumenthal, second-generation owners) were retiring, so the relaunch celebrated everything at the same time."
The store was founded in 1964 by Ryan Blumenthal’s late grandfather, Mel Blumenthal, in honor of his wife, Corinne. Mel had promised to one day put her name up in bright lights, and he was a man of his word. Mel passed away in December 2013, but Corinne is proud of the achievements of the store that bears her name (in lights, of course!).
The new interior of Corinne Jewelers.
Construction took six months. Walls were pushed back to make way for a more spacious display area for engagement rings. Sleek glass-fronted cabinets showcase the jewelry, and a table full of jewelry for customers to touch and try on was added. A new repair take-in desk supports a plasma screen showing large-scale photos of pieces undergoing repair, or sketches of custom designs.
The expanded bridal area hosts a large sitting area, a new coffee bar, and an entertainment area outfitted with a large-screen TV. In addition, the store has added a Pandora boutique and a diamond and appraising room. One nod to Corinne Jewelers' past, however, remains: the raised ceilings are still covered in oak beadboard, paying homage to the former store’s décor.
“We’ve re-imagined everything, including adding ‘The Diamond Source’ to our name,” Blumenthal said. “What does that mean to our customers? Among other things, it means we now have the area’s largest selection of diamonds suitable for any budget, thanks to our new policy of directly importing and hand selecting each and every diamond.”
Ryan and Allyssa Blumenthal pose with designer Simon G.
Ryan Blumenthal and the entire Corinne Jewelers family has a lot to be thankful for. Toms River was in the direct path of Superstorm Sandy in 2012, and the entire area suffered massive devastation. Corinne Jewelers luckily had almost no physical damage: a few awnings blew off, but that’s it. But the entire town--and region--was without power for more than a week, and, as Blumenthal says, a week is a long time for a retailer to be closed. It was the longest the store has ever been closed in its history.
"You can't just open a jewelry store without power," he said. "We were closed for seven to 10 days; I don't remember exactly how long. But it wouldn't have mattered, either. Toms River was so devastated the National Guard was here." Not surprisingly, residents were far more focused on salvaging what remained of their homes than they were on shopping for jewelry.
Corinne Jewelers had an "off Christmas" that year, as Blumenthal describes it. Still, he felt incredibly lucky. “It wasn't nearly as bad as I'd anticipated," he told The Centurion. "We were really steaming in 2012. We were on track for a 20% increase year on year, but after Sandy hit and killed the fourth quarter, we still ended up at 10% up. We were incredibly lucky."
Since then, business has come back in droves. As much devastation as Toms River had, it still fared better than neighboring beach towns like Seaside Heights, which two years later still has yet to recover. The two towns' economies are vastly different, says Blumenthal. Seaside Heights is fully dependent on beach-goers, whereas Toms River is more of a local economy.
The storm took a lot of money out of the local economy, says Blumenthal, but it also poured a lot of money in, all tied to housing and especially its downstream feeder industries, such as concrete companies and builders. As a result, the area economy is booming again and with it, Corinne's sales are rocketing.
"Those guys were hit terribly hard during the housing crash in 2008 and 2009, and now they have more work than they can handle," says Blumenthal. And from the looks of it, they will for some time. "You don't want to make your money through tragedy, but I'm happy to see these guys are thriving. They're our best customers," says Blumenthal.
In appreciation of Corinne’s service to the community, Toms River mayor Thomas F. Kelaher officially proclaimed July 31, 2014, as “Corinne Jewelers Day,” and the town council attended the event. In his proclamation, Kelaher noted the business’s longtime support of regional and national groups, including the United Way of Ocean County, the Community Medical Center, and the American Cancer Society.
"To see all our customers show up was really humbling," says Blumenthal. We've been in business for 50 years but it feels like our first year in business. That's our mindset, which is what helped position us for great growth."
Cutting the ribbon on the new store, from left: freeholder Joe Vicari, Corinne Blumenthal, Craig Blumenthal, Allyssa Blumenthal, Ryan Blumenthal, and Toms River mayor Tom Kelaher.
Special 50th anniversary events are in the works for the newly remodeled store. “You can’t stay a success for half a century all on your own,” Blumenthal said. “It takes support from the community. So we’ve made them an important part of this year’s anniversary celebration.” Among the events planned are:
- The “Faces of Corinne,” a social media promotion that will solicit photos and stories from families that have been Corinne customers for generations.
- “Stick-to-It Students,” a scholarship program that will honor high school students with cash awards during Corinne’s 50th anniversary year.
- A “Customer Appreciation” event that will award a $50 gift certificate to the first person to walk through the door each day during a specified 50-day period.
A Corinne History Wall is already in place in the newly designed facility, displaying photos from the store’s past. A coffee-table book featuring historic photos from around the country and the region taken during the 1960s when Corinne Jewelers first opened is being compiled.