Gennaro Jewelers 'Learned To Adapt' As It Marks 100th Anniversary

BELLMORE, NY — For a century, Gennaro Jewelers has been as much a constant as time itself. The owners may have changed since 1923, but not the Bedford Avenue location.

To commemorate its longstanding association with Bellmore, a stone marker was placed outside the shop on Sunday, designating Gennaro as a Historic New York State Business.

Gary Hudes has been part of the store since 1979. The bench jeweler and designer is also marking his own personal milestone — 50 years in the business — having started his craft in high school.

“Probably one of the biggest things that sets us apart from many other places is the fact that everything is done in front of the customer,” Hudes told Patch. “That makes customers feel very at ease.”

It was Erwin Von Der Heydt, born on a small farm in North Bellmore, who opened the jewelry shop with his wife, Betty.

He became so known on Long Island that the state Parks Department contacted him about installing the clocks at the East and West Bathhouses at Jones Beach.

Watchmaker Louis Gennaro joined Von Der Heydt in 1962. They forged a six-year partnership, until Von Der Heydt semi-retired, but continued to do clockwork for the store.

Gennaro decided in 1968 to also retire the shop's name, “out of respect for Mr. Von Der Heydt,” Hudes said.

Thus, Gennaro Jewelers was born.

Hudes, like Gennaro before him, was active in the community's chamber of commerce and other local organizations.

Answering a newspaper ad landed Hudes the interview and subsequent manager position at Gennaro's.

“He said, he hired me because I dressed so properly. I wore a three-piece suit and that very much impressed him,” Hudes recalled.

Having sent most repairs out, once Hudes arrived, his background as a bench jeweler allowed work to get streamlined for customers. The business grew over the years, with just over 30 employees at the Bedford Avenue shop today.

After Gennaro's retirement in 1998, Hudes took over full control of the shop. However, this time there would be no switching of the signage.

“The reputation of Gennaro Jewelers was so strong, I never gave it a thought to change the name,” Hudes said.

That honest reputation helped catapult Gennaro's word of mouth for generations.

But they have found other ways to generate revenue, as a specialty jeweler for law enforcement and fire departments across the country and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.

“So the little store on Bedford Avenue that's been here 100 years has learned how to adapt over the years to changes in the world and in the economy,” Hudes said.