A.H. Fisher Diamonds' 35th Anniversary Brings Nostalgic Look Back At Owner's Journey in His Beloved Red Bank
RED BANK, N.J., Nov. 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- One of Alan Fisher's first jobs as a kid in Red Bank was to climb the clock tower overlooking Red Bank's downtown to wind the clock weekly. He and that tower have a great deal in common – they have both remained fixtures in Red Bank for six decades and have overseen its many changes.
This year marks the 35th anniversary of A.H. Fisher Diamonds and Fisher can mark the years by recounting both personal and professional milestones.
As a fourth generation Red Bank resident, Fisher knows a thing or two about the historic town and its people. His great grandfather was a local woodworker and Fisher recounts his grandfather owning a successful confectionary shop just steps away from where his jewelry store—A.H. Fisher—stands today.
A.H. Fisher is one of only five businesses to remain on Red Bank's Broad Street and they're celebrating a 35th anniversary because, Fisher says, of their family-first approach. Thanks to an initial referral from his grandfather, Fisher got his start in the jewelry industry in 1968 working after school, on weekends and in the summer doing repairs, polishing and machine engraving.
In 1983, Fisher was still involved in the jewelry business, but wanted to become his own boss. The same year, he met his now-wife Karen and decided to open a store of his own. Now with two grown children and a first grandchild, Fisher is as dedicated as ever and shows no signs of slowing down, even completing annual exams to stay informed on current trends and advances in technology. So enthralled with the jewelry business, Alan also has a national business, Claimlink, that works with the insurance industry to restore and replace jewelry.
"The whole diamond and jewelry business is a retail business outside the box; it's much more than buying and selling a product. There's so much to learn, there's an incredible degree of trust and relationship building involved. I've loved doing that. We don't have one-time cash and carries—we have clients who have stayed for 30 years—we're seeing their children now and Matthew is taking care of them."
To Fisher's pleasure, his son Matthew used his finance degree to join the family business and combined his passion for sales with diamonds and high-end jewelry. To further his education, he's even gone on to enroll at the Gemological Institute of America.
Now, Matthew manages A.H. Fisher's day-to-day operations while his dad focuses on Claimlink, which has put the store on the map with major insurance carriers around the country.
"I love running into people outside the business and they recognize us for products we've sold them. Now, Matthew, my second generation, is catering to our second generation of clients," Fisher said.
Going forward, A.H. Fisher hopes to continue to grow and provide the kind of intimate, one-on-one service that can't be replicated online or throughout national chains—even recently signing a lease that will keep them on Red Bank's Broad Street for many more years to come.
CONTACT:
Marlene Passell
(561) 877-2213
SOURCE A. H. Fisher Diamonds
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