Our History

As the crow flies, the distance from Manitowoc County's rural Bolt to Washington County's bustling West Bend, is short. If you unfold your Wisconsin's official highway map, place your right thumb on West Bend and your right middle fingertip on land east of Green Bay's bay waters, you'll have roughly located the north-south route. But for Marvin Husar, of Husar's House of Fine Diamonds in West Bend, the route from his birthplace to the community and the business he has nurtured and loves - from his boyhood to adulthood and beyond - has been more circuitous than direct. And in some ways, more fulfilling.

More than fifty years after creating a successful jewelry business that continues expanding in a partnership with his children, having long-ago achieved ground-breaking accreditation in the science of gemology, bearing a surname that's practically synonymous with West Bend where he and wife Mickey have sunk roots that go deep, Husar paused to recall the early days and events that propelled him toward a then unknown destiny. The early influences of parents, wartime military service, choosing and pursuing his life's work - all came flooding back.

" I was born in Bolt," he said, a community etched in memory, despite an absence from today's road map. More than four alphabet characters missing from a scrap of paper, Bolt had been a training ground of sorts. Hard work, trust and dedication to duty were life lessons learned there from hardworking parents. With family farms dotting the landscape, fruits of the field were as abundant as the flow of rich milk from local dairy herds. "There was a cheese factory on every corner," said Husar. "My father was a cheese maker. He wanted me to be a cheese maker. It was a hard life. I learned the work ethic from him."

With the seeds of the boy's future about to be sewn, Husar came to realize something other than cheese making called him. "When I told my dad I was thinking of becoming a jeweler, he tried to talk me out of it." It wasn't just disappointment. His father had survived the Great Depression when financial resources were scarce or non-existent. Then came WWII and wartime shortages of everyday staples. "He'd lived through tough times when families spent what little they had on necessities not jewelry. He told me, "If you're a cheese maker you'll always eat."

But the die had been cast. Young Husar had chosen his path. "I'll always remember what he said. He said, "If that's what you want to do, be the best you can be. No matter what field you're in, there's always room for one more good one."

The Husars eventually moved to Gillett in Oconto County, a community located north and west of Green Bay where young Marvin entered grade school. After high school graduation, WWII and military service in the U.S. Army pushed career decisions to the back burner.

At the war's end, young Husar and thousands of other ex-GI's accepted opportunities to pursue degrees at colleges, universities and technical schools. A test taken at the Veteran's Administration showed aptitude for the intricacies of watch making. Before you could say Kansas City School of Watch Making and Clock Repair, Husar had been accepted as a student. For two years, the former soldier worked at "Merrill Lynch during the day and attend classes at night." Evening course work at Chicago School of Watch Making, Jewelry Repair, and Goldsmith Training followed concurrently with a day job at Paulson House, a jewelry manufacturer and wholesaler - another training ground.

Fascinated by the science of gemology, young Husar learned all he could. Diligent study didn't go unrewarded. Passing a comprehensive test yield a lifetime Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of American (GIA). Approximately one year later, he received the advanced Certified Gemologist designation from the American Gem Society - one he maintains today through ongoing study along with the completion and passing of annual exams.

A position at Robert Jensen Jeweler in Genoa City brought Husar back to Wisconsin where he sought and received his watchmaker's license. Then a short stint in Burlington preceded the move that would change his professional life forever - a move to a 200-square foot jewelry store in West Bend - a store that would become his very own in two short years through a purchase from its owner in 1951. The small store would be a temporary location. Husar would move four times and renovate seven times - all in downtown West Bend.

Husar's House of Fine Diamonds would become a touchstone for quality and service in the world of diamonds, colored gemstones, fine gift ware and a great deal more. From this acorn, a branching oak of a business would provide not only a livelihood for Husar and his family, it would grow into a solid operation offering top-notch serve matched by superb goods at fair prices. With each move and each renovation Husar would remember the community that supported him in the beginning and give back wherever he could.

Fifty-six years later, Husar's is the largest independent jewelry store operation in Wisconsin. There are no plans to add satellite stores in either nearby or distant communities. "West Bend has always been and will always be home base - our one and only location."

The move in 1995 to a newly built facility with more than 13,000 square feet offered welcome space for both the growing parent company and its divisions. "Increased display and storage areas have enabled us to increase our inventory." Husar said. Buying directly from suppliers and eliminating middleman expense saves in costs overall - savings passed on to customers at the cash register.

The certified gemologist's focus has been unwavering - serving individual needs of a loyal customer base while attracting new customers from within a wide radius that includes Milwaukee, its suburbs and beyond. Offering what he calls "the best service and quality and the best price" appears to be at the heart of Husar's solid repeat business. "If you can't give good service, they won't be back," he said succinctly of his store's unprecedented success.

In the early 1980's Marvin's daughter Mary Husar Martin joined the firm followed by his son Michael Husar. Both graduate of University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh, each lends unique talents to the business, said their father. The three work as a team, he said, with Mary heading the jewelry manufacturing and wholesale operations.

Committed to the philosophy established nearly a half-century ago by her father, Mary finds "great rewards" can often accompany the "many challenges" of working in a family-owned business, she said. But she wouldn't trade it for the world. Pursuing special education as a potential career during college years, she opted instead to join the business. "I had an interest in both and this won out," she said.

Serving at the helm of the corporate gifts and promotional program, Michael Husar, is keenly aware of a spotty downturn in the providing personal service in the business/service sector. But not in West Bend - and not at Husar's. "There's a family environment here - a commitment to customers and to service." Doing everything possible to satisfy customers is also good business, he noted, as satisfied customers, often become repeat customers.

Husar's House of Fine Diamonds seems a prime example of a family business that developed and prospered side-by-side with its neighbors. A spirit of neighborliness, in fact, permeates family involvement in the community. For years, the elder Husar has served on the city's parking authority board. He was also part of the committee effort to redo West Bend's downtown in 1975 - a huge undertaking that garnered rave reviews.

Mary has served as president of the Wisconsin Jewelers Association and serves on West Bend's downtown association board of directors. She also served on the committee the successfully drafted a proposal to bring the "Main Street" program to West Bend. Rightly proud of the newly acquired plum designation, Mary's committee will focus on "Historic preservation, business recruitment and retention, promotion and renovation of buildings among the others," she said.

Understanding the important role aesthetics plays in customers' desires to visit and to shop in a given downtown commercial district, Michael currently lends knowledge and skill to West Bend's Greater Downtown Alliance. Drawing on a marketing business administration and advertising background, he's helping find ways to implement recommendations made in a study prepared by the economic development component of city government. "Our focus in existing buildings. We're looking at all kinds of ideas to see what can be done." Ideas, Service. Corporate citizenship. Quality and price. Sums it up nicely.