August 2016
The roots for Father and Son Jewelers actually started over a century ago in Greece. “My grandfather emigrated from Greece in 1907. He worked as a waiter in New York, learned to speak English and later opened a restaurant,” said Robert Galas, who currently owns and operates Father and Son Jewelers with two of his three daughters, Deb Aust and Wendy Wessels.
“My dad disliked the restaurant business, and when he got old enough joined the US Navy working on submarines. When he got out in 1945 he went into sales, selling jewelry as an individual. Later he talked grandpa into opening a jewelry store in Buena Park, CA. That was in 1958.”
Years later, and with three daughters of his own, Robert moved his family up to southern Oregon. His dad followed him up here and in 1996 the two opened Father and Son Jewelers at 125 E. Main Street in downtown Medford.
“In February of 2013 dad passed away, and now I work with two of my three daughters. And this summer my 14 year-old granddaughter will come in to help her mom.”
That will make five generations adding a piece to the family business.
“I’m now 65, that makes 50 years in the business for me,” Robert said. “My dad always said the key to a great business is to treat people as you would want to be treated, and when you work on something make it like it was for yourself. And we approach business like everything is a different problem. And we love solving problems.”
They are a wholesaler of large diamonds and color stones, and also buy gold and silver. “As my grandmother used to say, you have jewelry to wear, and that’s nice, but when times get hard, then you can sell it.
“We care,” Robert continued. “We want you back as a customer.” In addition they offer full service jewelry repair, as well as the option of recycling your jewelry. “We can take your old gold and make something new for you. We also sell new and estate jewelry. Deb loves vintage items; and we have all the styles from the 50s up to now.
Thank you Southern Oregon for helping support four families!”
Father and Son Jewelers is located at 126 E. Main St., #1. For more information, please call 541- 774-8900.
