Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Hurst.
Hi Michael, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
The History of Hurst Jewelry & Eyewear
Victor Hurst opened the Hurst Loan Office in 1908 at 612 Main Street in Kansas City, Missouri – In what is now the historic City Market area. By the 1920’s business was going well for Victor and he decided to move his store to 18th and Vine which was, and still is, in the heart of Kansas City’s Jazz District.
By this time, Victor’s son Benjamin Hurst joined the family business and they opened a second store located at 12th and Highland in Kansas City, Missouri. Both stores sold everything including Engagement rings, Wedding Bands, Watches, Televisions, Luggage, Guns, Tableware, China and even had an OPTICAL Department which sold prescription eyeglasses, with an OPTOMETRIST on premises for Eye Exams. Ben Hurst’s superior business ethics of providing EXCEPTIONAL customer service and honesty to every customer earned him the nickname “Honest Ben” given to him by his customers. As business continued to grow for “Honest Ben”, he always saw a need to help others. From 1929 to 1930 he made several trips to New York and purchased more than 2000 winter coats for the underprivileged families of Kansas City.
By 1938, Morton Hurst, Bens youngest son who was 12, started working for his father as an errand boy. In 1939, Ben combined the 18th and Vine and 12th and highland stores into to one bigger store located at 13th and Walnut in Downtown Kansas City. Ben then added clothing, fur coats, and musical instruments. Unfortunately, that store had a catastrophe and the evening of Christmas Eve 1955 had an electrical fire and burned down. From that location Ben moved his store to 15 E 12th Street in Downtown Kansas City, Missouri.
In 1967 Ben changed the name to Hurst Diamond Shop “Home of the Blue White Diamonds”. Also that year Hurst Diamond Shop joined the prestigious buying group called Leading Jewelers Guild and was a member of that group till 2020.
In 1968, Morton Hurst became President and Ben Hurst retired. Like his father, Morton continued to service customers with the same honesty, loyalty and trust. As Morton grew the business, he instilled the help of his oldest son, Michael Hurst.
Following in his Grandfather’s and Father’s footsteps, Michael joined the business at 13 years of age working as again an errand boy taking a bus to the store after school. Richard Hurst, Morton’s youngest son and his daughter Deanna and his wife Shirley all worked in the family business. In 1980 Michael became Vice President alongside his father.
my business is based on integrety and giving my customers the best customer service available. I LOVE AND HUG MY CUSTOMERS. 57 years in this industry and going strong. i love to take family heirlooms and recreate them into modern peices . Don’t like jewelry to sit in a drawer it needs to be worn or recreated to pass on to family.
my optical side of the business is to make sure my clients receive the best and most fashionable eyewear. Eyewear is a fashion statement. I dont carry the major brand names like every DR offices carry I inventory uniqueness and different.. When it comes to eyewear and recreating jewelry i pride myself in thinking outside the box.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
letting people know where my location is since I’m not in a high traffic area or a shopping area with retail surroundings. but once people shop here they love it.
What matters most to you?
What matters to me is designing, recreating and creating relationships with my customers. Making sure they are completely happy, that we have created a memory, and putting a smile on their face. Jewelry has such an emotional and sentimental value to the individual that its importantant to keep that emotion going.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hurstjewelryandeyewear.com
- Instagram: hurstjewelryandeyewear
- Facebook: hurstjewelryandeyewear
