Reeds Jewelers
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (Jewelry) |
| Founded | 1946 in Wilmington, North Carolina, United States |
| Founder | Bill Zimmer, Roberta Zimmer |
| Headquarters | Wilmington , United States |
Area served | Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia |
Key people | Alan Zimmer (President and CEO as of 1985) |
| Products | Diamonds, precious stones, fine jewelry, branded timepieces, Pandora charms, Swarovski crystal items, accessories |
| Website | reeds |
Reeds Jewelers is a prominent American jewelry retailer established in 1946 by Bill and Roberta Zimmer in Wilmington, North Carolina. The business offers a wide array of products including diamonds, precious stones, fine jewelry, branded timepieces, Pandora charms, Swarovski crystal items, and various accessories through its mall-based outlets as well as online at Reeds.com. In 2008, National Jeweler recognized Reeds as the ninth largest retail jewelry chain in North America.
History
The origins of Reeds Jewelers trace back to when Bill and Roberta Zimmer acquired a modest jewelry shop in Wilmington and rebranded it as Reeds Jewelers. The enterprise subsequently expanded into cities such as Whiteville and Jacksonville, along with other locations throughout North and South Carolina. Bill Zimmer placed a strong emphasis on exceptional customer service and mutual respect—principles collectively known as the Reeds Promise—which prioritized fairness and appreciation toward customers, employees, and suppliers. By 1979, the company had grown to operate approximately twenty-four stores. In 1981, Alan Zimmer joined the firm as executive vice president responsible for merchandising and advanced to president and CEO by 1985.
Reeds went public in December 1986 with an initial offering on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol REEDS. Throughout the following decade, the company expanded through acquisitions including Dreifus Jewelry Company (with nineteen stores across the Southeast and Midwest), Gray's Jewelers (five stores in Tulsa), and Melart Jewelers (locations in Maryland, DC, and Pennsylvania). In 1998, Reeds transitioned its listing to the American Stock Exchange under the symbol RJI.
In February 2004, the Zimmer family took the company private once more, positioning Reeds as one of the largest family-owned jewelers nationwide. In 2014, Reeds became a pioneer in the fine jewelry sector by accepting Bitcoin payments both in physical stores and via its website.
Products
Reeds features an extensive assortment of jewelry crafted from gold and other materials, showcasing distinguished brands such as David Yurman, John Hardy, Roberto Coin, Gucci, EFFY, Le Vian, Forevermark, MIKIMOTO, Montblanc, Pandora, and Swarovski. The retailer also offers a comprehensive range of luxury watches from manufacturers including Rolex, Breitling, Omega, Tudor, Grand Seiko, Tag Heuer, Tissot, Movado, Montblanc, NORQAIN, Oris, Citizen Eco-Drive, and Bulova.
In August 2015, Reeds collaborated with LG Electronics to introduce the LG Watch Urbane Luxe—the first high-end Android smartwatch—featuring a 23-karat gold casing complemented by a handcrafted alligator leather strap with deployment clasp and a piano-gloss finish on the case.
Store Locations
As of July 2014, Reeds Jewelers maintains 64 retail outlets situated within shopping malls and lifestyle centers across thirteen states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. (It should be noted that an unrelated chain named Reeds Jewelers operates several stores in New York as of May 2017.)