“If you don’t know jewelry, know the jeweler.” – Warren Buffett
Kelli Jacobsen, the owner Jacobsen's Jewelry, has always loved working in the jewelry industry. For her, it is the way jewelry makes people feel about themselves. Jacobsen attended Nebraska University and worked as a mortgage underwriter and then in annuities for a mass mutual company, but fate stepped in and brought her back to Salina and the jewelry industry. Jewelry is connected to emotion, and that aspect of jewelry intrigues her.
Working with her customers and some of the most knowledgeable people in the industry, she couldn't picture herself doing anything else.
"Jewelry makes you feel good when worn, and you always feel a little better when it is something nice, whether it is your engagement/wedding rings, your first diamond necklace, or a good pair of earrings. These things are special," said Jacobsen. Every piece created or sold is attached to a personal story, a memory, or a chapter in someone's life that is about to happen, and Jacobsen considers it an honor to be part of each story.
Jacobsen has been in the constantly changing industry for 12 years since she was a child. Her grandfather started working for a local jeweler following the war in the 1940s and purchased the store he worked for when the owner retired. Jacobsen's grandfather was a master watchmaker. Her uncle, aunt, father, and other family members were also in the field. Her grandparents eventually owned jewelry stores all over Kansas and one in Florida. At one point, he and three of her grandfather's brothers all had jewelry stores on Santa Fe Ave in Downtown Salina.
Jacobsen opened her own store over one year ago in the Salina Central Mall, 2259 S 9th St., offering repairs, jewelry for all ages and occasions, watches, and designer handbags on consignment that include Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci, Coach Fendi, and more. She also buys gold and creates one-of-a-kind custom pieces.
"You can't charge people an arm and a leg for love, and jewelry is purchased with emotion and should be treated as so." She works hard to cover all price ranges that cater to anyone that walks into her store and even offers a 12-month interest-free layaway program.
Whether they have $25 or $25,000 to spend, they will all get treated with the same respect and service.
In her first year of business, Jacobsen has brokered out over 15 carats of large diamonds for customers.
Jacobsen's Jewelry is celebrating Festival Weekend with a storewide sale. Receive 10% off (some exclusions apply) your purchase June 9-12, 2022.
