A customer, upon entering DavEd Jewelers, is sure to be warmly greeted by Tom Nichols, a soft-spoken man who has stood behind the counter – the same counter – for 66 years.In an age when stores frequently change locations, DavEd is something of an anomaly, having operated at 4137 Erie Street since Nichols’ father and uncle, Thomas and Harland, purchased the business, in January 1945, from here – David and Edward.
“We always intended to change the name; we even had the sign,” says Nichols. He explains that his family previously owned Nichols Jewelry on Broadway Avenue in Cleveland. “It was difficult to get things done, like reregistering a business, during World War II. Then it went on so long that it was just too late,” he says. They also brought with them a safe, which still bears the name Nichols Jewelry, and stands at the rear of the store.
Tom Nichols was a teenager when the family business opened in Willoughby, and he has worked at DavEd ever since. Guided in those early years by his father, Nichols never forgot the lessons he learned about treating the customer with integrity and respect. What is his favorite part of the business? Without hesitation, Nichols answers: “Waiting on the people.” And he knows so many of them by name.
Nichols has a loyal following that includes multiple generations of families that patronized DavEd from the start. Another connection to the past is a display of antique clocks with ornate numerals and hands that move. Most were given to him, and he keeps them because he likes them. Not for sale at any price, they tell the passage of time in more ways than one.
From the windows of DavEd Jewelers, Tom Nichols has witnessed 66 years of downtown Willoughby history. If asked, he will tell you about events that were held when he served as president of the Merchants Association. He remembers when the first Christmas lights were strung across Erie Street, and how retail shops lined both sides of the street and bustled with activity from morning to night.
For Tom Nichols, DavEd has been the one constant in his life, providing a connection to past, present, and future. He is rightfully proud of his place in the business community, and has no plans to close anytime soon. Downtown Today urges our readers to stop in and wish him a happy 66th anniversary!
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