(PRESS RELEASE) GRAND RAPIDS, MI — When it comes to buying something as important as an engagement ring or anniversary watch, brothers Dan and Dave DeVries believe it should be a personal experience in an elevated yet approachable space. That is just one of the reasons the owners are moving DeVries Jewelers from its current location at 411 Leonard St. NW to a newly constructed store this fall at 433 Leonard St. NW.
Founded in 1901, DeVries Jewelers is a fifth-generation, family-owned business in the heart of Grand Rapids’ West Side neighborhood. Co-owners Dan and Dave DeVries purchased the former Lannings’ Restaurant & Catering property at 433 Leonard St. NW, demolishing the restaurant in January 2024. Construction for the new, two-story store began in February with Grand Rapids-based Pinnacle Construction Group. The store is expected to be completed in mid-October.
“We are excited to offer a more experience-driven retail space with additional room and dedicated areas to display our jewelry, expand our product lines, provide repairs, and even feature special events,” said Dan DeVries. “While we’re moving, we’re still the same family-owned company that our customers know and trust – and now we can deliver our quality products and personalized service in a more spacious and inviting retail environment.”
The new store will feature a number of enhancements – most notably its larger size, expanding from the current 1,600-square-foot, one-story store with 1,000-square-foot showroom to a 6,000-square foot, two-story store and 2,150-foot showroom. Other elements of the new store will include:
- Brick exterior and high windows to emulate the historic building architecture on Leonard Street.
- Vaulted main floor showroom with second floor balcony overlooking the showroom.
- Dedicated bridal department featuring engagement and wedding rings to enhance the shopping experience.
- Separate on-site repair shop/service area on the main floor with jeweler work stations and a vented polishing area.
- 2,440-square-foot second floor with flexible space that can be used for events like trunk shows, product line showings, and private shopping experiences such as for engaged couples to let their wedding party pick out a gift.
- Upstairs bar along a bank of windows facing Leonard Street that can be used for special events.
- Private parking lot with 25 spaces, plus another 50-space lot shared with other area businesses. (The current store has no private lot.)
“As one of the oldest family-owned jewelers in West Michigan, we have been serving families who have been our customers for generations,” said Dave DeVries, co-owner and West Side resident. “The neighborhood is a part of who we are, and it’s important for us to stay in this community. We also want to be an active part in the Leonard Street business corridor revitalization.”
DeVries Jewelers opened in 1901 by Dan and Dave’s great-grandfather, Siebern DeVries, who sold jewelry and eye glasses as well as repair services for jewelry, glasses and clocks. He transitioned to selling exclusively jewelry in 1921. After he passed away at age 42 from pneumonia, his wife Cornelia ran the store throughout the depression and beyond for approximately 20 years. Their son Gerald took over the family business in 1935, whose son Dennis assumed ownership in the late 1980s. Dennis’ sons and current owners Dan and Dave became owners in 2008, and Dan’s son Paul is the general manager. The store has moved three times since it opened in 1901 (128 Leonard, 423 Leonard and 411 Leonard), though all locations have been on the same two blocks of Leonard Street.
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DeVries Jewelers is a member of the West Grand Neighborhood Organization and previously the West Leonard Business Association where Dan DeVries served as vice president of the board of directors in 2017 and 2018. DeVries Jewelers also is a member of the Michigan Retailers Association.
DeVries Jewelers employs 13 people through a combination of part-time and full-time staff, and it expects to increase its staff by another four to five employees in the new store.
