He’s continuing a family tradition.
Jacob Ripa closed his Hazleton, PA, jewelry store and moved away 14 years ago.
Now, he’s back.
The former city councilman, who has worked in New York, is opening a new store in town, continuing his family’s longstanding tradition in the business, the Standard-Speaker reports. The original Ripa Jewelers was started in 1949 by Ripa’s father, named Jacob, and uncle Al.
The new business was set to open this week.
During his time away, Ripa held various roles in the jewelry industry. He’s currently a partner in a diamond company.
In 2016 he developed a fine jewelry section for a department store in New York.
“I thought, if I’m building somebody else’s …,” he said, according to the Standard-Speaker.
This store will be smaller than his old one, and he’ll sell diamonds mainly by appointments.
Read more at the Standard-Speaker