The history of business in the Huntington region is a long and storied one. Though the city has seen many industrial and economic changes in its 155 years, one business has remained a near constant for the greater part of Huntington’s life span. Founded in 1887, C.F. Reuschlein is one of the longest continuously operating businesses in the entire region, and for good reason. 

“Our longevity as a store is because of customer service,” said owner John Paul Kelley. “We strive for customer service and do the best we can, and that’s the main goal. You treat everybody the same, no matter what they’re buying, across the board.” 

That simple mantra has travelled with C.F. Reuschlein through several moves within downtown Huntington over its 140-year history. Originally founded in 1887 as Homrich Jewelers at 915 Third Avenue, the Reuschlein name began when Charles F. Reuschlein purchased the business and moved to a new location at 316 Ninth Street. The business remained there for over 45 years, but decided to move back to the revitalized Third Avenue in 1948, directly across the street from its original location. In the early 1970s, the company then relocated to a bustling Fourth Avenue, where it expanded its show room and inventory to include giftwares. After over 30 years on Fourth Avenue, C.F. Reuschlein decided to move back to 947 Third Avenue in 2006 after the construction of Pullman Square was complete. 

“We’re very fortunate,” John Paul said. ‘We’ve changed and moved as downtown has changed. When Pullman Square started building up, that’s when we decided to move here, and it’s been a great move. We see a lot more walk-in traffic.”

While walk-in foot traffic is important to C.F. Reuschlein, it’s the repeat customers and the family atmosphere that have kept them thriving for so many years. 

“We’ve been in business for so long, I’d say 85 to 90 percent of our clientele are people who have always shopped here, or family members of people who have always shopped here. I know 90 percent of our customers by their first name.” 

The family atmosphere at C.F. Reuschlein extends to the staff as well. Kelley, who started at C.F. Reuschlein in 2008 after a brief stint working for a bank out of college, learned the jewelry business from the ground up from long-time owner Joe Chapman, who is now a consultant for the business. In 2013, the store and the Huntington community rallied around Kelley to support him through rehabilitation after he suffered a severe spinal cord injury.

“Being from here, and working here in this small community, everyone circled around and pitched in. And Joe was great. I went to a rehab facility, and came back to work four months after I got hurt.” 

Now, 13 years later, Kelley leads a dedicated staff that includes Daniel and JoAnne Thompson, a husband-and-wife team that have been at C.F. Reuschlein’s for nearly six years. Daniel serves as the store’s in-house jeweler and JoAnne is part of the loyal sales team, which includes Regina Austin, David Pierce and Tucker Hager. Austin, along with Vice President Debbie Merritt, have been with the company for an impressive 49 years!

“We’ve had great, great support when it comes to our team,” John Paul said. “We try to treat every employee as fair as possible, and we try to make it more of a family atmosphere.” 

After 12 decades in business, C.F. Reuschlein has built a flawless reputation for fine jewelry, friendly customer service, and impeccable repair services. What the community might not realize is that C.F. Reuschlein has long been more than just a jewelry store. With multiple displays and sections for Blenko Glasswares, Marshall University gifts, children’s toys, and unique accessories, C.F. Reuschlein has a surprisingly diverse inventory.

“We were always known as somewhat of a higher end jewelry store, but what people don’t realize is that there’s price points for everyone, and we can work with any budget necessary. We also have baby gifts, giftware for graduations, presentation gifts, and engravable items, a little bit of everything. We try to have something for all occasions and celebrations.” 

A stellar reputation and a quality product will go far in the business world, but a company does not last 140 years without evolving to fit a modern economy. Though C.F. Reuschlein's expert jewelry and watch repair services keep a steady stream of customers coming in throughout the year, some parts of the industry have shifted to a more customizable approach. 

“We’ve done the same thing we’ve always done,” explained John Paul. “But you have to change with the times. Now, instead of selling the product as much in store, it’s a lot of custom work. Probably 70 to 80 percent of the engagement rings we do are all custom. If you come in for an engagement ring, we can do CAD renderings, and you will get to see a digital preview of the product before you buy it.”

As one of our region’s longest running businesses, C.F. Reuschlein’s storied past and bright future are a testament to the power of customer service and community. And when you’ve been in business for nearly 140 years, you get to know that community really well. 

“We had a young man who came in not too long ago to buy an engagement ring, and I remember him from when he was a teeny tiny little baby,” Vice President Debbie Merritt said. “That’s what makes this place special, when you start seeing multiple generations of families coming in.”

To learn more about C.F. Reuschlein Jewelers, visit them online at  https://cfrjewelers.com/ or in person at 947 Third Avenue,
Huntington, WV 25701 and be sure to follow them on Facebook. For a full photo gallery from our visit to C.F. Reuschlein’s, click here.