Do you really care about this information? Really? Alright, well, here you have it...
Once upon a time (specifically 1953) in a faraway place (New Brunswick, NJ), Sid & Mae Sockolof, along with a partner by the name of Segal, opened a jewelry store. The partners called the business "Simms." The name has no real significance, but when prompted, Mae would always say... it was from "Sockolof & Segal in a double Mess." Make of that what you will.
The original Simms wasn't quite like any jewelry store you'd encounter today. Back then, in addition to buying an engagement ring or getting a battery for your watch, you could pick up little things like washing machines, TVs & refrigerators! The bizarre (or bazaar, if you prefer, no pun intended) nature of the business aside, it was those early days that shaped Simms' relationship with its community.
The important thing in those days was not what was being sold, but how: The relationships that were cultivated between shopkeeper and customer and shop and community. The shopkeeper provided the product and information, and the community, a market. Payment terms were a dollar down and a dollar a week. As a result, relationships were long-term and respectful.
The Modern Era
In 1965, young Arthur Sockolof, at the gentle insistence of his parents, joined the company. His wife Ann followed shortly after. And with that, the modern era of Simms Jewelers began.
A year later, in 1966, a decision was made: out with the kitchen sink. Simms would become an upscale retailer of fine quality jewelry, full stop. A major redesign and renovation followed in 1967. The appliances were gone. The core philosophy – and the people – were all that remained of the original business. That turned out to be more than enough.
For the next 25 years, Art led the family in building what Simms became: a fine jewelry destination driven not by making sales, but by creating clientele. Sid and Mae retired in 1983. A second and third location had opened and, after careful deliberation, Art made the decision in 1985 to consolidate everything into one store. In 1991, Simms moved to its current location: a free-standing, century-old home on Main Street in Bedminster, NJ.
My Chapter
I joined the business over thirty years ago, not entirely certain it was going to work out. I didn’t even LIKE jewelry all that much – a fact I’ve admitted before, and will keep admitting. What I found, over time, is that the jewelry was never really the point. The people were. The questions nobody teaches you to ask. The moments that deserve to be marked by something lasting. The look on someone’s face when they find the thing they’ve been looking for, even if they didn’t know what it was when they walked in.
In recent years, Simms has evolved again, this time, in a direction that feels like the truest version of what we’ve always been trying to be. I now operate the store solo, by appointment, with open walk-in hours woven into the week. It’s quieter, and more intentional. When you come in, you have my full attention – not part of it. The cases are more tightly curated. The focus has narrowed towards what I’m genuinely best at: fine jewelry, colored stones, estate pieces, and the conversations that help people figure out what they actually want.
The process has never been about the jewelry. It’s about you. Your thought process, desires, constraints, preferences, and sometimes, yes, family treasures. The mystery-solving is very gratifying.
What hasn’t changed is the part that was always the point: the relationship between the store and the people who trust it with their meaningful purchases. That relationship was built by Sid and Mae, shaped by Art and Ann, and it’s mine to carry forward now. I take that seriously. And I have a very good time doing it.
Contact Sarah
Have a jewelry inquiry or a special project in mind? Get in touch by filling out the Contact Form, or call at 908.781.7818.