The Oldest Jeweler in KC - Ruback Fine Jewelry
As a perpetually broke 20-something, I don't spend much time in jewelry stores. Jewelry stores with commissioned salespeople (read: models) never really appealed to me or, frankly, fit in my budget. I will admit, when I first heard about Ruback Fine Jewelry, that experience is exactly what I expected. As the oldest jeweler in Kansas City, Ruback has been around since 1908; a fact that I assumed meant they had mastered the craft of selling jewelry to people, regardless of what they could afford. With approximately $0 to spend, I knew I couldn't be someone's commission check so I thought, why not?
I honestly could not have been more caught off guard by my experience at Ruback. As I approached the front door, I quickly said a little prayer that I was dressed nicely enough to be in a place like this. Will Patrick, manager of business development, greeted me at the door and walked me into the store. At first sight, the store was immediately different from what I had expected. It was an intimate setting - small and unassuming. Will immediately got to work making me feel comfortable and welcomed, although he knew there wasn't a sale to be made. He walked through the store case by case and told me a little bit about each designer, each individual piece, and answered every question that I had. He was patient and told me about the history of Ruback.
Like I mentioned earlier, Ruback opened in 1908 in downtown Kansas City and has moved several times before landing at their current location in Overland Park. In 2013, Hal and Amy Pollack, close family friends of the Rubacks for generations, took ownership of the company. Hal and Amy had both been in the jewelry industry for many years and the transition was a natural fit.
Although I don't spend much time in fine jewelry stores, I do spend a lot of time poring over jewelry at estate sales all around Kansas City. I love thinking about the women who wore these pieces, the parties they went to, the compliments they received. Estate jewelry can tell a story and I love being a part of the history of pieces that I love. Not to mention, estate jewelry can be purchased at a fraction of the cost of brand new pieces! The collection of estate jewelry carried at Ruback is breathtaking and unique - I could have spent all day learning about their history.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Ruback also offers completely custom pieces, often at a fraction of the cost because they eliminate the middle man markups. If you're married or engaged, I am sure you absolutely adore the ring on your finger because the love of your life chose it just for you and the experience of your proposal was unforgettable. But if you're being honest with yourself, is there one thing that you would have chosen differently if the choice had been yours? Ruback offers a service that allows you to have a surprise proposal AND get the dream ring. You can pick out a center stone in your budget and the team at Ruback will place it in a solitaire setting for the big day. Post-proposal, you can come back together to design the perfect custom ring using that same center stone. I called my sister, Maggie, the second I left the store to tell her about this option and I haven't stopped talking about it ever since.
The history of Ruback Fine Jewelry in Kansas City got me in the door but the comfortable atmosphere and selection of jewelry in every price range will keep me coming back for more (if I ever have money to spend). If you are in the market, I can't imagine going anywhere other than Ruback!
