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Delray Beach, FL—Douglas Allen (Doug) Schubot, former owner and chairman of Jules R. Schubot Jewellers of Troy, MI, died January 18. He was 87.

A longtime resident of Franklin, MI, Schubot—together with his wife, Sydell—owned one of the Detroit area’s most exclusive jewelry salons. He and his wife were fixtures on the luxury jewelry show circuit, and frequently were interviewed and quoted in the trade press on business issues unique to high-end stores.

Schubot learned the jewelry trade in the late 1940s when he chose to spend his school vacations working for his father, Jules, who founded the eponymous company in 1917. Jules R. Schubot fostered a niche, selling high-end jewelry to corporate captains like Henry Ford and celebrities such as Tony Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Joan Crawford. He turned over the store to Douglas and his wife in 1970, moving from downtown Detroit to Big Beaver Road near the tony Somerset Collection mall in Troy. The store closed in 2010.

Doug and Sydell, along with their son Brian, created a destination private salon, crafting custom pieces for some of the country’s most discerning individuals, continuing Jules Schubot’s tradition of serving prominent leaders in entertainment, sports, and the corporate world. In addition to outstanding client service, the Schubots were renowned for their own entertaining, as invitations to their exclusive holiday parties were highly coveted.

In addition to his passion for his work, giving back to the communities in which Doug Schubot did business was important to him. He and his wife hosted "The Magic of Platinum" as a fundraiser for the Karmanos Cancer Institute. Schubot served as past Michigan general chairman of the State of Israel Bonds and was past president of the American Israel Chamber of Commerce, the brotherhood of Temple Beth El and the Centennial Lodge B'nai B'rith.

Schubot also served as a board member of the Michigan Cancer Foundation, Oakland Family Services, Boys and Girls Clubs of Detroit, the Better Business Bureau Eastern Michigan, the Michigan Retailers Association and the Detroit Institute of Arts Founders Junior Council. He and Sydell were fixtures on the charity circuit in the Detroit area.

On a personal note, I got to know both Doug and Sydell over the years and had an opportunity to visit their salon in Troy. I remember the famed Lalique door handles leading into the salon, something the Schubots were very proud of along with all the other exquisite merchandise they carried.

No high-end jewelry event was complete without saying hello and checking out Sydell’s ever-present cluster of gold bee pins on her shoulder. She never went without them. We often discussed those pins, and she always appreciated the fact that I loved pins, something not many women of my generation wear. But I was most struck by the fact that even though the Schubots rubbed elbows with corporate titans and renowned celebrities, they were open and frank and willing to share their expertise with the trade.

Schubot is survived by Sydell, his wife of 63 years; sons Ronald and Brian (Michele) Schubot; daughter Julie Schubot Haimon; grandchildren Vered, Galia, and Ari (Zhana) Haimon, Justin Schubot, Zoe Schubot, and great-grandson Meir Haimon, as well as many nieces and nephews.