When a small jewelry store opened in the 100 block of Washington Street in 1853, Iowa City was still the capital of Iowa, the University of Iowa was only six-years-old, and the town was home to a mere 1,149 souls.

A century-and-a-half later, the population of Iowa City has surged to more than 75,000, the Iowa campus boasts more than 200 buildings, and state bureaucrats now call Des Moines home. 

But not much has changed at the little jewelry store at 109 Washington St. 

Century-old Honduran mahogany display cases are cleaned by hand, customers are greeted with a quiet but welcoming “hello,” and fine quality rings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, and more sparkle under subdued lighting.

“It’s been an amazing run,” said Charles Nusser (BBA11), general manager of Hands Jewelers and the fifth generation to work in the family business. “The reason I never left is because I never had a reason to leave.”

John Hands, a jeweler and watchmaker from Coventry, England,  arrived on Ellis Island in 1881 then moved west to Iowa City 12 years later, looking for new markets along with many other Western-minded immigrant entrepreneurs. He opened shop at 22 S. Clinton Street, which today houses the famed Airliner restaurant and tavern. Several other downtown locations ensued, but it was when he bought out the Startsman Jewelry store at 109 E. Washington that the modern Hands Jewelers was really born.

Anne Rizzo (MBA88) is John Hands’ great-granddaughter. Today, she is CFO and operations manager. She said the fast-growing frontier college town was an ideal place for a multi-talented businessman to set down roots.

“Around the turn of the century, Iowa City thrived with manufacturing, powered by the Iowa River and connected by railroads that demanded precise timekeeping,” Rizzo said. “FW Main, the first jewelry and wach factory west of the Mississippi River, was located in Iowa City, which might be the reason he located here. It was a natural destination.”

While they concentrate today on fine jewelry and gift items, in the early days the store also sold and repaired watches and practiced optometry. Hands Jewelers even served as the “official timekeeper” of the University of Iowa for many years, Rizzo noted. 

Rizzo was the first in the family to attend business school at the University of Iowa, eventually earning her MBA in 1988. She said that degree has been “foundational” to helping her be the “money person” and operations heart of the business.

Nusser followed, earning his degree from Tippie in 2011. Despite his business degree and being an “heir apparent,” he got the usual rookie treatment when he started.

“They called it ‘sales support’ but I was a janitor,” he laughed. “In fact, I was the assistant janitor. I cleaned glass, wiped down counters, and got people pop when they wanted it.”

Now, as GM, he too leans on his Iowa business education.

“Many of the businesses practices I learned at Tippie I apply every day, particularly management,” he said. “I learned a lot from Professors Jay Christensen-Szalanski and Lon Moeller.”

One family running a single successful business for more than a century is remarkable, Nusser said, but their approach is fairly simple.

“We are known for our fine jewelry, but our customer service is what sets us apart,” he said. “We always aim to give people an experience, and really educate them so they can make the best purchasing decision possible for them, even if it’s not with us.”