Northern Michigan is awash with creative, entrepreneurial business owners who work so hard all year to serve their communities and the visitors who choose to spend time here.
As a regular feature on the four, we will meet some of those people and share their stories in our regular segment called Shop Local.
This week, we go behind the scenes at Wexford Jewelers in Cadillac, where family business might be an understatement.
“We design it, we dream it up, then we create it, then we fabricate everything,” said Julie Terwilliger, creative director at Wexford Jewelers.
A family of artists working together to create beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces that stand the test of time.
“When you look at that ring and you see that WJ stamp, it’s going to be there for years to come and that’s how we’re leaving our mark, not only here in Cadillac, but all over the world as we sell online,” said Emily Nichols, head bench jeweler and manager.
has become a staple in the Cadillac community and beyond.
Twenty-two years ago, Julie and Emily’s father, who already had several jewelry stores across the U.S., decided to open up shop in his hometown in an old bank building.
And there was plenty of competition.
“It was really hard, because what do you do with three jewelry stores? It was really quiet at first, it was a really slow start. Not a day went by when someone didn’t think this was the bank when they walked in,” explained Julie.
And there was hardly a day these sisters didn’t spend at the jewelry store.
“I pulled weeds, we cleaned glass, we were part of it when we were little,” said Julie. “It’s just us. The store is also us, it’s such a huge part of our growing up and our lives. We just put so much into it, it’s a big part of who we are. We get emotional about it.”
Today, Julie is a designer.
“I get to be around shiny things all day and beautiful things, and I get to be a really small part of making someone smile every day when they look down at their hand,” explained Julie.
Emily sets stones and restores and repairs old jewelry.
“I love working on gemstones that have been mined from the Earth. They are like treasures that were put here for us, and we get to polish them up and put them in a beautiful setting for people,” said Emily.
These two have recruited both of their husbands to become part of what’s truly a family business.
And in such close quarters, it can be both a blessing and a curse.
“Our love for each other is greater than our love for the business, so at least at the end of the day we all know, no matter what happens, what arguments, disagreements, whatever, we love each other. That’s all that matters,” said Julie.
That and their extended family, the community that has supported them for more than two decades.
“The clients we had 20 years ago, now their children are ready to start buying rings and we’re serving them and that’s such a neat thing,” said Emily.
Julie added, “It’s just the fact that people come in and be a part of what we’re doing here is so exciting, and I love seeing the support of the local community come in and help us stay in business this long; it’s been awesome.”
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