By: Ashley Waitkus | Category: Retail | Issue: December 2018
Dayna modeling some of the newest Diamond Collection at Star Jewelers. Her friends and staff call her the “Bling Queen” and the “Girl Boss.”
Long before Main Street gave way to the thriving community now known as the Rose District, magic was happening for generations in a little shop located at 120 South Main in Broken Arrow. Great endeavors have been planned and discussed in whispered voices within the four walls. Many an engagement plot has been solidified and anniversary plans hatched as guests open their hearts and share their dreams with the skilled staff at Star Jewelers located at 120 South Main Street. For owner Dayna Matheny Christ, walking into the store for work each morning is a bit like crossing the threshold of the wardrobe into Narnia. “It really is a magical place for me,” she says.
Opened in 1973, Star Jewelers has been a family-owned business for three generations. First opened by her grandparents, Dayna has owned the store for 12 years. Her father has been the in-house master jeweler for over 40 years. The longevity of the jewelers has earned the family a well-deserved reputation in the Broken Arrow community. Customers know jewelry items are hand selected by staff, repairs are completed in-house, pieces are personalized, and the store has something for every budget.
Unlike bigger, more commercial jewelry stores, Dayna and her family and staff never opt for cookie-cutter options. Unique pieces can be found throughout the store, each guest is treated like an old friend.
Each visitor comes in with a unique story, whether purchasing for a wedding, an anniversary, a graduation gift, or just for fun, the staff knows each story deserves a piece of jewelry with a story to match. “That is where the magic is, we get to help people find the perfect piece of jewelry to bring the magic to their lives,” Dayna says. Every piece of jewelry in the store is her favorite because every piece has a story to tell and every story has a customer, brimming with excitement and wonder as they leave the store with a new purchase or a repaired family treasure.
In-house Jeweler, Hank Matheny, and store owner Dayna Matheny Christ are the dad and daughter duo. She helps customers design their dream jewelry and he creates it. They stand at the showroom entrance with a smile, ready to greet new and old customers as they enter Star Jewelers this holiday season.
Dayna describes one such experience, “One of our customers who was young when she married was shopping for a larger stone for her wedding ring. After talking about various options, she decided to redesign her wedding ring using family diamonds from her mothers, grandmothers and aunts rings. It was exciting because she was a third generation Star customer as I am a third generation Star owner. It gave me goosebumps to see her face and appreciation for her newly designed ring.”
All of this magic, as Dayna calls it, makes for a very personal shopping experience which customers love, but it is the reputation of integrity in the community the family values most. Just as the company is now owned by the third generation, many customers are also third generation customers. As Dayna and her father and grandmother work together, new customers come in with stories of their parents and grandparents shopping at the store. Generational customers know and trust the store because they know and trust the family behind the store.
Broken Arrow residents have entrusted their most precious possessions into the skilled hands of the master jeweler for repairs. Having such an established relationship in the community has helped the store become even more of a destination place since the revitalization of the Rose District.
As the family business has grown, so has the shops investment in the surrounding community. Whether through toy drives or helping with Broken Arrow Neighbors, they are always finding ways to share the joy and inspire others.
The store has become an integral part of the surrounding neighborhood with its incredible shopping experience and community involvement. Bringing joy and magic to others is their mission. Though diamonds, gold, and gemstones sparkle in their glass enclosures, the real magic at Star Jewelers is found in the hearts of the owner and staff who work tirelessly every day to further that mission.
Star Jewelers will be collecting new unwrapped toys and games for Broken Arrow Neighbors Gift Gallery to help families in need until December 14th. Suggested age range: children infant-12 years old.
Ashley Waitkus is a former mental health counselor and minister who has served in high trauma, high crisis environments for over 12 years. She has a Masters of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy; her passions include helping people heal, bringing others into a relationship with Christ, and attending festivals with her daughter.
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