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THE BRIDGEWATER-SOMERVILLE CONNECTION
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www.Twitter.com/connectionsnj Follow Us On Twitter Scan This Code to Follow Us On Twitter ROMAN JEWELERS 500 Commons Way Bridgewater, NJ 08807 908-575-1242 39 NJ-12 Flemington, NJ 08822 908-782-8240 RomanJewelers.com The Shor family opened Roman Jewelers in 1989. The Bridgewater location across from the mall has been welcoming customers since November of 2013 and is run by Sophie & Roman’s daughter, Lucy Zimmerman. Roman Shor began making jewelry with his grandfather in a basement shop in Minsk, USSR…far, far away from where the company that bears his name has been operating for nearly 30 years. Today, the company has locations in Flemington; and in Bridgewater where his daughter, Lucy Zimmerman, runs operations. The story begins four decades ago with a love for jewelry-making. In the former USSR, Roman Shor’s abilities and creativity were stifled. For a wonderfully creative artistic mind, it was impossible to continue. And so, in 1980, Sophie & Roman Shor took the biggest and most significant step of their lives – they packed up and sought a better life for themselves and their children. Coming to a new country required determination. The young family’s first home was in Chicago. And while they were excited to begin a new chapter in their lives, Chicago was very overwhelm- ing. It was upon a visit to bucolic Central New Jersey where Ms. Zimmerman says her family was taken with the charm of the small towns. Ultimately, though, it was the warmth of the people that con- vinced the family to move from Chicago to Flemington. Beginning as a bench jeweler in his basement, Roman Shor worked very hard and took some chances, too. It all paid off in 1989 when Roman Jewel- ers, opened its doors. Here they met cus- tomers who quickly became friends. “This is our home. When we came from the USSR, this is where we were embraced,” says Ms. Zimmerman. “We don’t plan on ever leaving; it is where my Dad worked at his first ‘own’ bench and where we met our first customers and employees, many of whom are still with us today,” she says. It was that affection that put in motion the expansions and improvements that were to come over the next twenty-five years, turning Roman Jewelers into the area’s most beloved family-owned jewelry store. And, while things do change – like the transition from a Bridgewater mall store to the relatively new free standing store – some things remain the same, like Roman Jewelers’ commitment to providing the finest jewelry, custom design, and designer brands to Central New Jersey. “Our ongoing passion to create cus- tom designed jewelry for customers is how we started and it is still the heart of our business,” says Ms. Zimmerman. “The store also brings what Mom, Sophie, likes to call, a bit of 5th Avenue to Central New Jersey,” she adds. They sell designer jewelry from Tacori, Miki- moto, Marco Bicego, and many more designers and the Flemington store loca- tion is an Authorized Rolex Dealer. While the family keeps busy running their business, they have always made an effort to give back to the community that has – as Sophie Shor says, “…graciously given us so much.” The company active- ly supports the Hunterdon Medical Cen- ter, programs in Public Schools, the Arts, and many woman’s organizations. Regu- larly, Roman Jewelers provides product donations to area charities to raise money through raffles and the like. Mrs. Shor has served as a chairwoman for the Hunterdon Medical Center’s “Crystal Ball” and raised over $225,000 for the Foundation that year. The YMCA has recognized Sophie and Roman Shor for the philanthropy and commitment to the community during an evening that raised funds in excess of $100,000 and where Congressman Leonard Lance pre- sented the couple with a special US Con- gress Award. “This American story will continue, hopefully for many years to come, but it all comes back to our beginning – my parents and our extended family here,” says Lucy Zimmerman “That now includes employees, customers, and members of the community who’ve been part of our lives for nearly 30 years.” Roman Jewelers calls Central New Jersey “Home” www.theconnectionsnj.com