A new face on Roslyn’s Main Street strip is donating funds from jewelry cleanings and services to children in need.
Roslyn Family Jewelers owner Harry Rutgers is no stranger to the business.
His father Victor opened Playhouse Jewelers in Great Neck in 1962 before Rutgers opened his own shop, Bell Family Jewelers, in Bayside in 1987. The Roslyn store opened about two months ago, Rutgers said.
“We’re not new to the jewelry business; we’re just new to Roslyn,” Rutgers said.
A certified gemologist and 20-year Roslyn resident, Rutgers sells an array of jewelry from everyday basics to the current trends and said the shop, located at 1388A Old Northern Blvd., offers items starting at $50 and caters to every taste and style.
Like many jewelry stores, Rutgers offers watch battery replacements, jewelry cleanings and other services, but instead of charging for the work, Rutgers asks his customers to make a donation through him to Jewelers for Children, an organization that partners with many nonprofits for children including St. Jude’s Research Hospital, the Elizabeth Glasser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and Make-A-Wish Foundation.
The foundation, started in 1999, has donated more than $53 million to programs benefitting children whose lives are affected by illness, abuse or neglect. As of 2016, 3,850 companies had partnered with the organization.
Rutgers said he has done the same thing at the Bayside location and the now-closed Great Neck shop to use his business to give back to the community. Last year, Rutgers raised $2,000 for the Jewelers for Children fund.
“People always ask ‘what do I owe you?’ and we tell them to make a donation,” Rutgers said. “Now, people come in to have their jewelry cleaned just so they can make a donation.”
Rutgers said the store has an eclectic array of jewelry, including Charles Garnier pieces, Royal Jewelry collections and Dog Fever jewelry.
Dog Fever, Rutgers said, is a line of jewelry made for people who love dogs.
The jewelry is inspired by or looks like favorite breeds, such as basset hounds, Rottweilers, collies, Dalmatians, poodles and more.
