Today we’d like to introduce you to Jerry & Susan Demirchian.
Jerry & Susan, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I immigrated to the United States from Yerevan, Armenia in 1980 with my immediate family. We arrived in Salem, MA and immediately began working. I remember my father used to work as a stitcher in a shoe factory, and he was so busy he ended up being provided with machines to bring work home and continue there to bring in some extra money for the family. This dedication led me to understand that only hard work will lead you to success. At 20 years old with an Associate’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from a then-Soviet country, and being barely able to have small talk in English, I began working with my great uncle who was established in the Jewelry business.
From there, I learned the tools of the trade. I was constantly learning each and every day, and not just about jewelry. My command of the English language became stronger, and so did my patience from the daily commute back and forth across the Tobin Bridge (back when they had the tolls). Eventually, I became self-sufficient.
Shortly after that, I opened up my own store in the Jewelers Exchange Building in Downtown Boston, and after a few years, I went back to Armenia where I met and eventually married my wife Susan in 1990. After about 15 years of running the store together, and raising two boys who helped out here and there, we opened up our newer location in Danvers Square in 2005. Shortly after, we closed the Boston store, to fully focus on serving the North Shore community, and we’ve been here since.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Of course, without challenge, there is no growth. As I mentioned, learning English wasn’t easy at the age of 20. Thankfully, being bilingual in Armenian and Russian, and knowing some Romanian made it easier to pick things up. I quickly learned that though being a jeweler can mean limited conversation with clients, I needed to be able to interface directly, like my great uncle would, in order to provide the best service, both verbally, and through craftsmanship when designing or repairing jewelry.
Aside from that, our financial situation took some time to develop. We came to America without any money, and just a few personal belongings. We didn’t have a car, no wealthy relatives, or a home. Our relatives who were here thankfully helped set us up in an apartment upon our arrival, but we began with essentially nothing. This was a whole new world for us. However, through overtime, dedication, and perseverance, my father, my mother, my sister, and I were able to buy our own home and get out of an apartment just after 3 years of being in this country.
JD Jewelers – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Here at JD Jewelers, we offer a wide variety of beautiful jewelry for prices better than anyone out there. Our mission is to excel in Price, Quality, and Service. We buy directly from the source and conduct all the design and creation inside the store, so we can pass all the savings to our customers. The best part is that the low price does not compromise the beauty or the quality. Our services range from free cleanings for purchases from our store, free watch band installation upon purchase, complete in-store jewelry repair, custom design, Rhodium plating, remounts, settings, engraving, pearl stringing, complete watch repair service, instant watch battery replacement, and many more!
Our owner is backed with 35+ years of experience. If we do not have exactly what you are looking for, we will do our best to find it. Besides our own jewelry, we also carry various watch brands, including Citizen, Bel-Air, and Braille, along with our charm bracelets from Zable which are directly compatible with Pandora. Special gift-wrapping is also available in a variety of jewelry boxes. Your first ring purchased sizing is free, and check the local newspaper for coupons to add on to our frequent sales. You won’t want to go anywhere else!
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment of my career so far has definitely been opening the store in Danvers. My wife and I came to a point in our lives where we determined we were ready to handle the second location. We began splitting it up such that I was covering the Boston location, and she would cover the one in Danvers. Thankfully, this did work for a few years, but after successfully transitioning customers, processes, equipment and more to Danvers, we decided to stick to that only. Saving time on the commute allows us to have more time to take care of our customers, with quick turnaround times for repairs and custom designs and many more.
We are more proud today to be winners of the award for Best Jewelry Store in Greater Danvers & Peabody for 8 years.
Contact Info:
- Address: 10 Maple Street, Danvers, MA 01923
- Website: www.jdjeweler.com
- Phone: 978-777-0025
- Email: JDJewelers1@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JDJewelersDanvers
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/jd-jewelers-danvers
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