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learn to design, something she’d
wanted to do at the chain store.
“
I would open the boxes the com-
pany sent to all the stores and
while putting them in the display
cases I would think, ‘I can do
better than that.’ I’m now getting
that chance,” she said.
Another positive move for the
store was the return of Dan Kelly
to the family business. A Certi-
fied Public Accountant, it was
never his intention to do so until
about two years ago. He went to
work for a large accounting firm
in Cincinnati after graduating
from Notre Dame University but
returned to Peoria after getting a
job at Caterpillar.
He originally wanted to earn
a Ph.D. and become a college
professor. “That plan is on life
support. But I am teaching ac-
counting on a part-time basis at
(
Illinois Central College),” he
said.
At the family business, where
Dad handles jewelry repair with
Mom in charge of sales, “I get
to see business from a different
perspective and how the econo-
my affects the whole spectrum. I
am probably the only CPA who
works in a jewelry store but it
is a good experience. We’re like
everybody else in retail. We’re
selling a product. We can find
something to fit anyone’s budget
and we have a layaway pro-
gram because we recognize not
everybody has ready cash in the
amount of a ring or nice piece of
jewelry.”
He’s confident about the
future. “The recession certainly
affected us but we did experience
some growth during that period,
as well. One good thing for Peo-
ria is that consumer confidence
never really bottomed out and
in the jewelry business, like with
other big-ticket retail items, con-
sumer confidence is important,”
he said.
“
I think we’re in good shape
here. We’re looking forward to
the future.”
KEVIN KELLY JEWELERS
7501
N. University St., Suite 14,
Peoria
(309) 689-0201
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday
through Friday; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday. Closed Sunday. Evening
appointments available.
Kevin Kelly Jewelers is a family-
owned jewelry retailer specializing in
jewelry repair services and elegant
fine jewelry merchandise.
The showcase at Kevin Kelly Jewelers holds items made by different companies, but also much jewelry designed and
made in house. Computer software helps in the design process while precise tooling, such as microscopic soldering,
are done at the store.
The Present
