Friendliness ‘part of the job’: All in the family at Crystal Coin and Jewelers
The folks at Crystal Coin and Jewelers in Crystal City do more than just sell you a ring or appraise your coin collection.
“A lot of what we do is therapy,” said Brad Basler, who with his wife, Phyllis, owns the store at 521 Bailey Road. “Someone will come in with a collection that they want us to buy, and we end up hearing all about it. Maybe it was owned by their husband or wife who just died, or a family looking to deal with an estate. Maybe it’s someone trying to get rid of something from an ex-spouse.
“I had one woman who, after she was done, thanked me for listening to her blabber on about her dead husband for the last 45 minutes. That’s part of the job,” Basler said.
His daughter, Sarah Shehata, agreed. She works at the store, too – in their “mom, pop and daughter” operation.
“The store to us is part of the community,” she said. “We try to help people. Several people have said, after we bought something from them, that we have saved them. Because we bought their jewelry, that will help them make it through the next week.”
“We’re honest with people,” Basler said. “Some may not like it when we tell them we can’t pay them what they saw on the internet for something, but we’ve also helped people not sell their items elsewhere (for less than the value). It’s an education thing.”
Basler said the friendly atmosphere promotes repeat business. He noted that a former Pevely resident who had traveled from Los Angeles to visit family recently stopped by the store to check it out.
The store’s staff also includes Barbara Poindexter, Theresa Lingle and Aimee Nolen.
“It’s more like a family,” Shehata said.
In addition to being a full-service jewelry store, Crystal Coin and Jewelers buys scrap pieces of gold and silver, including flatware, and buys and sells collectible coins and accessories and bullion.
