Jewelers Make Business Family Affair in Yorktown

YORKTOWN, N.Y. – Two brothers who have been in the jewelry business since they were teens recently put their names up in lights on their shop in Yorktown. Although the store has been around for several years, Benny and Joe Chiazzese only changed the name to J and B Family Jewelers this past August.

Benny, a resident of Yorktown, said he has been working in jewelry stores since he was a teenager, cleaning floors and counters. As time went on, he began helping customers and polishing the jewelry.

“I fell in love with it,” Benny said. “I was happy to bring a smile to customers’ faces.”

He attended the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and became a gemologist. With his background, J and B is a full service jeweler, handling everything from ring appraisals to restringing pearls to creating custom pieces.

“We cater to everyone, from $50 to $10,000,” Benny said.

His brother Joe, a resident of Mahopac, said that Pandora is one of the most popular items nowadays year-round.

“The whole thing is you can come in and spend $100 and add on to the bracelet for every special occasion of your life—anniversary, Christmas, Easter, Halloween,” Joe said.

In the business since he was a teenager also, Joe said in this economy, silver has become much more practical for the average consumer. He said the best way to keep business successful is to do what he and his brother have always done, provide excellent customer service.

“Customer service is the number one priority in this economy,” Joe said. “Service is everything. You’ve got to give them a reason to come to you.”

Benny said they once wrapped an empty box without putting the jewelry in by mistake. When they realized it, Benny took the jewelry to the customer’s house.

“We go that extra step,” he said. “I didn’t want to inconvenience my customer for a mistake we had made.”

J and B works with customers for holidays that range from Christmas to Valentine’s Day. They also handle special occasions such as Holy Communions and engagements.

For the holiday season they are open seven days a week, Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

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