EP# 55: Crafted with Care: The Radiant Journey of Brad Matthew Dimiero, Local Jewelry Artisan and Community Gem
Apr 25, 2024Episode 55
Liz Lemon & Brad Matthew Dimiero
What makes Brad Matthew Dimiero with Brad Matthew Jewelers a good neighbor?
Have you ever wandered past a local jeweler's shop and wondered about the stories and craftsmanship inside? We sure have, and that's why we invited the mastermind behind Brad Matthew Jewelers, Brad Matthew Dimiero, to share his tale of passion and precision in the world of bespoke jewelry. Brad's narrative isn't just about the glimmer of diamonds and the sheen of gold; it's steeped in tradition, community spirit, and the kind of personal touch you can only find in a neighborhood shop. From his formative years learning the trade under his late father's guidance to reviving that legacy in Holyoke with his own establishment, Brad offers a refreshing take on an industry often shrouded in mystery and high markups.
With Brad, we uncover not just the intricate process of crafting custom pieces that tell a story, but we also explore the man behind the magnifying glass. His commitment to the Shriner organization and the joy he derives from helping children at their hospitals reveal a heart as genuine as the jewels he works with. And for those who think a jeweler's interest ends at the edges of a gemstone, Brad's enthusiasm for swinging a hammer to renovate old homes will surprise you. This episode is a treasure trove of inspiration, a real gem that proves the worth of local artisans in our community isn't just measured in carats. Join us, and let's celebrate the sparkle of life with Brad Matthew Dimiero.
What makes Brad Matthew Dimiero with Brad Matthew Jewelers a good neighbor?
Have you ever wandered past a local jeweler's shop and wondered about the stories and craftsmanship inside? We sure have, and that's why we invited the mastermind behind Brad Matthew Jewelers, Brad Matthew Dimiero, to share his tale of passion and precision in the world of bespoke jewelry. Brad's narrative isn't just about the glimmer of diamonds and the sheen of gold; it's steeped in tradition, community spirit, and the kind of personal touch you can only find in a neighborhood shop. From his formative years learning the trade under his late father's guidance to reviving that legacy in Holyoke with his own establishment, Brad offers a refreshing take on an industry often shrouded in mystery and high markups.
With Brad, we uncover not just the intricate process of crafting custom pieces that tell a story, but we also explore the man behind the magnifying glass. His commitment to the Shriner organization and the joy he derives from helping children at their hospitals reveal a heart as genuine as the jewels he works with. And for those who think a jeweler's interest ends at the edges of a gemstone, Brad's enthusiasm for swinging a hammer to renovate old homes will surprise you. This episode is a treasure trove of inspiration, a real gem that proves the worth of local artisans in our community isn't just measured in carats. Join us, and let's celebrate the sparkle of life with Brad Matthew Dimiero.
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Liz Lemon.
Speaker 2:
Welcome to Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of some stunning jewelry pieces? Surprisingly, it might be closer than you think. Today, I have the pleasure of introducing your neighbor, Brad Matthew DeMero, with Brad Matthew Jewelers. How are you doing today, Brad Good. How are you doing Great? We're excited to learn all about you and your business. Tell us about Brad Matthew Jewelers.
Speaker 3:
I'll tell you about it. Well, we are a very typical old school full service fine jeweler Manufacture. A lot of what we have in stock, the items that we carry in stock, most of them would be better name brands. I yeah, I don't do watches Custom design is really our specialty here. I do a tremendous, like an insane amount of custom work here and that's kind of it. I mean I, you know, we're just a regular old school jeweler store.
Speaker 2:
That's fantastic. How did you get into the business?
Speaker 3:
Well, honestly, I started my father was a jeweler, even though he did pass away when I was a boy and I, um, I just kind of ran with it. You know, I mean, um, I really started setting diamonds when, god, I honestly, I think first one was like maybe 12 years old and um got out of the business for a little bit. And you know, you really kind of it's like something once it gets in your blood, um, you really um, you enjoy it. It's's a very interesting trade and kind of went back into it, worked for a couple of larger companies and eventually I just reopened or I opened not reopened opened a store of my own here in Holyoke, right across the road on North Hampton Street. But I mean I, after my father had passed, when I was a boy, my mother eventually just closed that business, you know, for obvious reasons. But yeah, that's it. You know I mean really enjoy it, really enjoy what we do.
Speaker 2:
Keep it in the family and, you know, in it for the long haul for sure. What are the myths and misconceptions within the jewelry industry?
Speaker 3:
Myths and misconceptions. Well, you know, honestly, I mean, probably one of the biggest things that I hear is, like the profit margin. Oh my God, you guys, like you know the markup's insane or whatever. That is a myth. That really is that genuinely is a myth. That really is that genuinely is a myth. I mean, there's better margins on different types of jewelry and I'm sure you know you walk into like one of these larger companies, like a Tiffany and Company, or even if you go into the mall, I mean I actually I know that I used to work in a mall, so I know the profit margin there tends to be a little bit higher than most people. But that really would be it. Again, I think a lot of people just think that you just have it's like a cash cow, you just make all this money that comes in, and it's really not. You probably have a larger profit margin on a dress or a flashlight or something than you do on a piece of jewelry.
Speaker 2:
Right, keeping it grounded outside of work. What do you do for fun?
Speaker 3:
Oh God, I mean probably I'm a Shriner. You know a Mason and a Shriner. You know a mason and a shriner. So I'm very, very, very involved in, you know, the Children's Hospital and Melha Shrine here, very active in that. Get a lot of pleasure out of doing things like that. Next to that, you're going to laugh at me. My second love also is swinging a hammer. Sometimes I'll buy an old house, fix it up, spend way too much time. My wife might help me a little bit with it. I do that just because I enjoy doing it. But probably the most important thing really would be the shrine you know being a shriner Very dear to my heart.
Speaker 2:
Right, very commendable. We appreciate your involvement for that.
Speaker 3:
And I thank you for saying that, of course.
Speaker 2:
Of course You're welcome. Let's change gears just for a moment. Can you describe one hardship or life challenges that you rose above and can now say, because of it you're better and stronger? What comes to mind?
Speaker 3:
oh god, yeah, I could boy. I remember when I first got married. Um, you know, of course, that was forever ago. Um, I've been married going on 37 years. Um, I was. I really really know excuse me, I'm sorry I really know what it's like to have no money and I, you know, I think, being dest that and that, and my family, of course, like I, I'm sorry like I'd mentioned before, my father had passed away when I was very young and there's probably nothing there really genuinely is nothing more important to me in this world than my family. So, my, you know, of course, now my kids are all grown up, because I'm old, but really being very involved with my kids as they're growing up sports and what have you you know, now I'm at the point where you know, grandchildren, that I had a phone call coming in. But my family, that would really be it, my children.
Speaker 2:
Absolutely. Family is most important. What is the one thing that you wish our listeners knew about? Brad Matthew Jewelers?
Speaker 3:
Gee, kind of like a lot of what we already touched on. We're a full-service fine jeweler. I probably sell things too cheap, but we manufacture. Again, like a lot of jewelry stores, they just kind of buy from mass wholesalers. You know, in particular, like you know, china, india not that there's anything wrong with that, you know, but we're, we make it here, you know. I mean not that we don't import to a certain degree because you really kind of have to.
Speaker 3:
You know, like certain gemstones, you know, if you have a gemstone that's mined in, say, india, you know you have to buy it from India because that's where it comes from. You know. But we make it, you know, as opposed to just buying 1,000 of one style ring or 5,000 of one style ring and so you have another. You know 4,999 people that have the exact same ring and it's just mass produced. So we're a little more quality oriented, I think, in comparison to some of the stores that I'm sort of referencing. Our low end is their high end and, um, but we because my margin is a little different than uh, than some of these large companies you're buying the high end at the low end price, if that makes any sense.
Speaker 3:
Um, the way I said that, um but, but yeah, just that, we, we manufacture and we warranty everything and you're getting just a really kind of a cool different piece of jewelry. You can sit down with me and draw like a little scribble on a piece of paper and then I run with it from there. You know, it makes it fun. It makes it fun the process too, you know.
Speaker 2:
Absolutely, absolutely One-of-a-kind pieces, customized by your people. That's fantastic. How can our listeners learn?
Speaker 3:
more people by me, by you people no, directly by you.
Speaker 2:
How can our listeners learn more about brad matthew jillers?
Speaker 3:
uh, well, you can go to bradmatthewjewelerscom. Um, I mean, my website is a little more informational. I mean there's a couple videos on there and there's some vendor links that show um merchant some of the merchandise that we it's a mix of vendors in my own see some of the jewelry that we have, some of the things we create. Um, but, uh, yeah, going online, you know, I mean Google us, you know, I think the reviews are usually pretty good. But bradmatthewjewelerscom, is there a phone?
Speaker 2:
number. Is there a phone number that you wanted to share?
Speaker 3:
Oh, absolutely yeah, 413-536-5655. And that's the store number.
Speaker 2:
That's great, brad. Matthew Jewelers, run out and go see their room for sure, brad, I really appreciate you being on the show and we wish you and your business the best moving forward.
Speaker 3:
Oh, thank you so much and I genuinely appreciate you having me on the show. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1:
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnppalmercom. That's gnppalmercom, or call 413-414-5940. Thank you.