About Us
Ten Reasons To Choose Ken K. Thompson Jewelry:
#1: A Neighbor you can Trust. Buying jewelry is often about trust and Ken K. Thompson Jewelry has always been very aware of this. You can rely on Ken K. Thompson, not simply because we say you can, but because in 73 years we've created lifelong friends and lasting family relationships, that for many are now in the 3rd generation. Many of these relationships began because of what we know as the lifeblood of our local business, word of mouth and personal references.
#2: In House Jewelry Service Center. We at Ken K. Thompson Jewelry have always understood the special attachment many have with their jewelry. We also understand that you don't want your jewelry sent to an unknown facility for many weeks to be worked on by someone you've never heard of. That's why we perform virtually all jewelry repair and service here at our in-house jewelry service center; usually completed in a matter of days.
#3: In Stock Selection. Ken K. Thompson’s offers you our enormous in-stock selection of jewelry ready to try on. Is there a better way to decide what looks good? We think not. So, we invite you to browse our 2 locations and choose from over 700 engagement rings, 300 diamond fashion rings, 185 anniversary rings, 250 diamond fashion rings, 275 gold chains, bracelets and anklets, 4,000+ loose (unmounted) colored gemstones, 340 Citizen watches, 500+ colored stone rings, 350 colored stone pendants, 260 pair of colored stone earrings or 150 pair of diamond earrings. This is but simply the beginning!
#4: Professional, Knowledgeable Advice. When you buy from a mass merchant, the person behind the counter might have sold auto parts or ice cream the week before. When you buy from Ken K. Thompson’s, you get good advice from professionals, such as Dean-31 years, Dale-28 years, Dennis-26 years, Karen-39 years, Don-21 years and Alisa-11 years; someone who eats, breathes and sleeps jewelry. Ken K. Thompson’s jewelers have gemological training, read professional journals to keep up to date, travel to trade fairs and seminars, and learn all about the products we offer. We can help you be an educated buyer and choose the jewelry that is right for your lifestyle or that special moment.
#5: Custom Designs of your Dreams. If you don’t see what you want, Ken K. Thompson’s will make it for you. Dale, Don, Dean, Alisa & Shari can help you design & create your special choice using your existing gems. We will redesign or re-make your old pieces into jewelry you’ll love. It’s up to you, with help from Ken K. Thompson Jewelry.
#6: Not just a Face in the Crowd. You are important to Ken K. Thompson Jewelry: a friend, neighbor, and individual, not just a face in the crowd. Alisa, Shari & Carol will remember your anniversary and will even know which style your spouse tried on during a recent visit. We can suggest some earrings to match a necklace you bought last year. When you take a big step in life, like becoming engaged or celebrate the birth of a child, Ken K. Thompson’s understands how important it is to make the moment match the emotion and will help you personalize your purchase.
#7: Competitive Pricing. You will be surprised at how competitive Ken K. Thompson Jewelry is. We belong to powerful buying groups, such as Retail Jewelers Organization (RJO) which allows only the most worthy independent jewelers in the USA to be a part of. These groups magnify Ken K. Thompson Jewelry’s buying power one hundred fold, assuring us the same favorable prices given to mass merchants. So, you get the best of both worlds: the personal, knowledgeable and skilled attention of a real jeweler and the lowest prices possible through our best in industry buying group (RJO). Ken K. offers you honest value every day.
#8: Individual Style. In a world where mass production and corporate volume retail is becoming more common, many people settle for “cookie-cutter” jewelry. Corporate volume retailers order every style by the thousands. You’ll see anything you buy there, over and over, even when you travel to other towns. But, when you buy from Ken K. Thompson Jewelry, you can choose styles that have been hand selected just for your individual taste. We at Ken K. Thompson Jewelry keep individual customers in mind when we go on buying trips. We oftentimes select a particular item just for you. You’ll receive individual, personalized service that is difficult to find from others.
#9: Attention to Detail. Ken K. Thompson Jewelry personally selects each piece of jewelry and each gemstone in our cases. We don’t sell merchandise from some central warehouse. We only show what we ourselves carefully select. That means that Ken K. Thompson Jewelry has unrivaled quality control. We care enough to look carefully at every piece of jewelry before buying it, shouldn’t you? If you buy from a website or from the TV, the piece you receive may not be what you are expecting. At Ken K. Thompson Jewelry Carol, Kalie & Shari will help you compare different pieces side by side, see the difference diamond qualities make, and most importantly try it on before you buy.
#10: Care, Cleaning and Maintenance. Ken K. Thompson Jewelry cares about you, and of course your jewelry too. Cleaning rings, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings keeps them beautiful. Bring your rings in twice a year to have the prongs checked to make sure that you never lose a gemstone or diamond. Ken K. Thompson Jewelry offers this service free of charge to ALL customers. Only Ken K. Thompson Jewelry cares to make sure that your jewelry stays beautiful forever.
History
Over seven decades later, few realize how a twist of fate in 1928 led a man trying to make ends meet to build a business from the ground up into one of northern Minnesota’s finest jewelry stores.
Ken K. Thompson at his repair desk. 1942.
In the years shortly following the Great Depression, Tuberculosis left Ken K. Thompson’s lungs crippled and consequently forced him to pursue a profession that would not put stress on his damaged lungs. With the help of other watchmakers at the time, Ken K. Thompson became likened to a very precision oriented profession as he taught himself the trade of watch making and clock repair. 1935 saw the start of Ken K. Thompson Jewelry with most of its early emphasis on service, watch making and watch repair in an era when railroads dominated the region. The business grew quickly and in 1941, Ken and his wife Martha opened their new store that was no larger than a child’s bedroom in Cass Lake, MN. At this point the business quickly expanded and became known for its full selection of jewelry and accessories.
Ken and Martha Thompson in the Cass Lake, MN store. 1944.
Nine years later with the business thriving, at a time when the United States was struggling through World War II, Ken and Martha’s only child Dewain enlisted in the Navy where he served in the submarine service. In 1947, he returned from the Navy and completed his training at the St. Paul Vocational School in Minnesota and eventually opened his own jewelry store in New York Mills, MN in 1952. The Bemidji chapter of Ken K. Thompson Jewelry began in 1955 when Dewain and his parents, Ken and Martha, decided to combine their expertise into one complete jewelry store located in downtown Bemidji.
Martha & son Dewain helping customers in the Bemidji, MN store. 1955.
Ken and Martha Thompson retired in 1967 with Dewain taking sole ownership and Ken K. Thompson Jewelry was on its way to being the primary jewelry store in the area. Dewain’s oldest son David returned from school in 1970 to work in the store. He was followed by Dean in 1977 and Dale in 1979, both of whom attended the same school with Dennis returning in 1981 from the University of North Dakota. 1979 saw the expansion of Ken K. Thompson to its second location in the Paul Bunyan Mall in Bemidji and the downtown location moved into its current location at 419 Beltrami Avenue in fall of 1981.
Ken, Martha, Dewain and Ethel Thompson. 1979.
Leaving the store highly successful and mostly what it is today, Dewain retired in 1984. Likewise, David retired from the store in 1999 leaving the family owned business to Dean, Dennis, and Dale.
Beginning in the 1930’s and carried through three generations of ownership, Ken K. Thompson Jewelry continues the ideals established over 72 years ago of excellent service, integrity and trust. These hallmarks will continue to be our cornerstone as we serve northern Minnesota in the coming years.
Sunday October 30, 2005
From left, Dennis, Dale, Dean and their father, Dewain Thompson, serve Ken K. Thompson Jewelry customer Barb McDowell.
Pioneer Photo by: Monte Draper
Sunday, June 24, 2007
The third generation of Thompson's, from left: Dennis, Dean and Dale, stand behind a display case. They presently have two locations, downtown Bemidji and in the Paul Bunyan Mall, offering jewelry, custom designs and repair.
Pioneer Photo by: Monte Draper
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