Family celebrates 41 years of business

Collins Family Jewelers is truly a family business involving (from left) Bill, Cynthia, Chelsea and Briana Collins, and Mat Vigil. (photo by John Gregory)

Family celebrates 41 years of business

In a time when many small brick and mortar businesses have struggled to stay open while facing the onslaught of online shopping, one family business run by longtime Scripps Ranch residents has not only survived but thrived. Collins Family Jewelers is celebrating its 41st year.

Along way, they’ve become a trusted resource for generations of families and played an active role in their community.

Collins Family Jewelers at 8220 Mira Mesa Blvd., owned by Bill and Cynthia Collins, first opened in October 1978 as a stamp and coin store based on Bill’s interest in that hobby and his desire to open his own business.

Bill and Cynthia have been married for more than 37 years and met while snow skiing in 1979. It was around that time that Bill transitioned the business to jewelry. A rise at the time in gold and silver prices, plus the draw of the young technology of video games, caused interest in collecting among young people to fall off, Bill explained. He also feels his timing was good because that was also a time when disco music was strong and gold fit with the music’s fashion.

“We sold a lot of chains and charms to both guys and girls. Two or three chains to a person,” he said.

Bill started out as the jeweler and received training from the Gemological Institute of America. Over the years, the business has grown into a 3,100 square foot space at Mira Mesa Mall that includes retail space and a manufacturing shop. The company employs 17 people, including five working in the jewelry shop.

“There’s virtually nothing that a person could ask for jewelry-related that we can’t do,” Bill said. “That really makes us a true jeweler. There are many jewelry stores out there that sell jewelry, but they’re not able to do all the things we can do. That makes us a jeweler not just a jewelry store.”

Bill and Cynthia explained they do a lot of bridal business and ear piercings in addition to repairs, appraisals, engraving and custom design.

“We take people’s jewelry, maybe jewelry they’ve inherited, and make it into something brand new; whether we use the same metal but take the stones out, or do something else to make new things,” Bill said.

Bill still does some buying, selling and appraising of coins and stamps.

Having been in business in one area for so long, Bill said it’s not uncommon to have generations pass through the store.

“I do a lot of baby ear piercing,” he said. “It’s very common for a woman to tell me when they bring their engagement ring to us that I pierced their ears as a baby.”

The store’s name speaks to more than it being a place that caters to families, it is literally a family business. Bill’s siblings have helped at the store. Cynthia has been involved since meeting Bill and now runs store marketing, office management and purchasing. The couple’s two oldest daughter’s, Scripps Ranch residents Briana and Chelsea, are in charge of sales, inventory and general operations. Bill said he and Cynthia are looking forward to retirement in 10 years, when the business will have been in one space or another in Mira Mesa Mall for 50 years.

“We just turned 60 this summer,” Cynthia said. “So, we told (Briana and Chelsea) we have a 10-year lease, this is your transition period to imagine we’re not there.”

She noted that the store now includes a nursery area, built for their granddaughters, whose mothers came back to work when their newborns were one month old.

“So that’s a pretty rare thing. We have three generations in the store at all times,” Cynthia said. “Our two younger daughters are part of the nanny circulation.”

Raising five daughters while building their business, the Collins have been involved in various team sports and community activities over the years. Cynthia has taught Sunday school at St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church for many years and is still a Girl Scouts manager in Scripps Ranch. They’ve also been active community supporters through their business, including supporting community concerts and many other efforts.

“We’ve had a policy that any group that comes to us from the local community in the Scripps-Mesa area, we’ll always participate,” Bill said. “We have that policy to not say no. It’s the right thing to do.”