BY ELYSSA GANSER
February 5, 2016
There are many things that make Moyer Jewelers special, but its history is unlike most in State College. In 1949 B.P. Moyer graduated from watchmaking school in Lancaster, PA with hopes of starting his own jewelry store. Moyer had great memories of camping in Seven Mountains and loved the surrounding area, so he settled on State College to start his business. Since its start almost 70 years ago, Moyer Jewelers has been passed down from generation to generation in the Moyer family. Currently, B.P.’s granddaughter, Lori, and her husband, Chris, run the business following the retirement of her parents in 2008.
Moyer Jewelers offers a wide selection of rings, bracelets, earrings and necklaces featuring diamonds and colored gemstones in silver, gold and platinum. The store also has a collection of engagement rings and its own Penn State jewelry selection. Many of the pieces and gems sold in the store are hand-picked at gem shows by the Moyer family. They strive to sell items that bring a uniqueness to both the store and to the town of State College.
Moyer Jewelers holds many special events throughout the year as a way to stay involved in the community. During the summer the store holds a staff design contest where the public gets to vote on a winning design. Each staff member designs a piece of jewelry, and the winning design is made into a beautiful piece of jewelry by the store’s onsite goldsmith! This event is a fun way to show the community how a simple idea can be turned into a creative masterpiece.
Another event that Moyer Jewelers has during the year is a gemstone roundtable. At this event, loose gems are on display for people to admire and even purchase if they want to! The store has also hosted precision faceter Roger Dery, who travels directly to the gem mines of Africa to hand-select gems. Those who attended got to meet Roger Dery and hear stories from his African travels!
Aside from having an extraordinary history, Moyer Jewelers believes in providing excellent customer service to every person who comes in and prides itself on its loyal and long-term staff. It’s longest serving employee, Jim, has been with the business for 28 years!
With a top-notch staff, hand-picked gems and year-round events, it’s no wonder Moyer Jewelers has been around for 70 years!
For more information visit www.moyerjewelers.com
Elyssa Ganser is a senior majoring in Public Relations at Penn State. She is excited to see what lies ahead as she starts this new chapter in her life. Elyssa discovered her passion for writing after working for School Nutrition Magazine last summer, where she wrote articles and edited content for upcoming editions of the monthly magazine.
