It’s been a long and rewarding forty years for Gold & Gems Fine Jewelry, located downtown on the Plaza at 25 N. Main. It all started in 1982 when Richard Hansen, who had moved his family to Ashland in 1972, assisted a friend in his jewelry business. His career began as a manufacturer’s wholesale rep, traveling through the country selling to retail jewelers.

It’s not easy taking over an iconic Ashland restaurant that had been serving downtown Ashland for over 35 years, but that didn’t deter Brent Brakebill, Frank Ortega and Mari Mendoza when they bought Greenleaf Restaurant (49 N. Main on the Plaza) from Daniel Greenblatt in February 2020.

It’s been an interesting ten years for the Gibbs family. First, owners Michael and Laurie Gibbs welcomed their son Drew into the Winchester Inn and Restaurant (35 S. 2nd) as a co-owner. Drew grew up in the business and found a calling in the world of wine, going on to become a certified sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers.