Family Jewel: Husband-Wife Team Up to Lead Zembar

After meeting on the job years ago at Rogers & Hollands Jewelers, Kathy Lyons and her husband, Ramell, have worked their way up to owning , a true diamond in the ruff for New Lenox.

The Lyons took over Zembar Jewelers, located at the corner of Cedar and Francis roads, after the previous owners of 30 years left to focus primarily on another store. Kathy previously got her start in jewelry at JCPenney's in 1989 and most recently worked at Zales. Ramell's experience includes working in the Virgin Islands at Diamond's International.

“We didn't choose New Lenox, New Lenox chose us,” Ramell said. "The previous owners met us and wanted to leave the store, and the customers, in good hands."

The sincere and attentive couple takes pride in being a part of the community and appreciates the loyalty of the customer base.

“New Lenox is a good match for us," Kathy said. "It's a very conservative community and it represents the values that we stand for ourselves. I love that about this town. They're so loyal and faithful.”

Since taking over last summer, they have worked at expanding inventory in a store that had previously been known primarily for its repair work. Repairs are still done on-site by a graduate gemologist and a jeweler/master goldsmith, but the focus is as much now on a wide variety of quality jewelry.

“It was a chance for us to expand on what we had already done and bring something new and fresh to NL,” Ramell said. “Take what was existing to the next level.”

With the help of two part-time salespeople, they sell not only the expected traditional and even contemporary jewelry but also estate and vintage pieces. The vintage pieces date back to the early 1900s while the estate pieces' dates of origin are all over the place; the significance of the estate pieces is that they were bought by the store from other customers who brought them in. In addition to buying previously owned jewelry from customers, they also trade gold and coins, silver and other precious metal. It all adds up to complete service for New Lenox, which was Kathy's goal.

“I love that we are the home town jeweler," she said. "Mall stores just can't do that.”

She continued to explain that some mall store manufacture with lower standards, not using as much gold or silver, because they're producing nationally for many locations.

One of the things that sets Zembar apart from other jewelers is that there are select pieces left out for customers to explore instead of having to wait for someone to take it out for them (though a watchful eye is kept on the merchandise). Ramell pointed out that type of education helps assist customers when it comes to jewelry.

“Just kinda help people understand, do more teaching with the product knowledge," he said.

They also have standards for their business presence withing the community. With a philanthropic focus on food pantries, the couple also provide gift certificates for local charities' raffle baskets in addition to making donations as a business for other fund raisers such as walk-a-thons. It's all part of the couple and their four employees making Zembar more than a jewelry shop.

"(We're) not just a store but an experience," he said. "We want it to be something so exciting, such a draw on the community, that it's an experience that you must have. We would like to make it a store where people of any age could find something that they like and can afford.”

Zembar Jewelers

• Address: 1269 Cedar Road
• Phone: 815-485-7280
• Email: zembarjewelers@att.net
• Website: www.newlenoxjewelers.com
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