Providing elegant pieces for a century

Gemstones, engagement rings, fine china and more — for most people, purchasing these items is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but for Fairlawn resident John Shulan, it has always been his life.

Since he was a child, John has been attending jewelry trade shows and following his father to learn the tricks of the trade at his family’s Shulan’s Fairlawn Jewelers store.

“I grew up loving the business,” the third-generation owner says. “Ever since I was 6 years old … I’ve grown up knowing all the great designers in our industry.”

What started by Shulan’s late grandfather, Alex Shulan, in 1921 has flourished into a local cornerstone of the jewelry industry. Alex was a World War I veteran who opened the business at Main and Mill streets in Akron. Today, Shulan’s recently moved to a newer building across West Market Street in Fairlawn.

This year, Shulan’s proudly celebrates its 100th anniversary.

“With our history, 100 years, we have a great knowledge base,” John says.

It has helped Shulan’s keep third- and fourth-generation customers returning for high-quality jewelry. Its jewelry is known for its lack of wear, tear and color change, even after 20 to 30 years. It sells type IIa diamonds, which have higher power and clarity and don’t fluoresce in UV light.

“The jewelry is treated like art,” John says.

The store features over 74 brands and designers, including Bernardaud, Jewelmer and Rosenthal. He says most shoppers, however, opt for jewelry that’s custom-made by Shulan’s, and 90 percent of the wedding and engagement rings they sell are custom-made.

“Every time I sell an engagement ring, I get a chill,” John says. “It’s such an honor.”

With modern technology like 3D printing, which has been used by the store since 2014, crafting jewelry has become more efficient and affordable.

Shulan’s is also known for its commitment to charity. All of the proceeds from its watch battery sales go to a different local charity each month.

“This is our community, and we want to support it,” John says.

Looking ahead, John hopes Shulan’s continues to grow by passing it down to his fourth-generation son and continuing its legacy of helping customers make meaningful, informed purchases of jewelry and special occasion items.

“With 100 years of experience, we have a lot of expertise on how to handle things from a material standpoint,” he says. “But also we know the industry inside and out, and we know what to look for.”

2850A, W. Market St., Fairlawn, 888-689-7077, shulans.com