She's the watchmaker's daughter, ensuring her family's small business stands the test of time
In Other News #15 // Celebrating the stories of everyday heroes among us.
For every 10 small businesses, about half (48.9%) survive their first five years in business. The success rate declines as time goes on: According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, 33.7% of small businesses make it to the 10-year mark, and about a quarter (25.6%) reach 15 years. Small businesses are defined as those having less than 500 employees.
Entreprenurial success is elusive; rare; something to be celebrated when it defies the odds. What factors determine small business success past 15 years, into the 50-year and even 100-year milestones? Meet a longtime, third-generation, downtown jewelry store owner to find out “How She Made It.”
Karen Reiss Staub inside her shop, The Watchmaker’s Daughter
The retro neon sign at 22 North Beaver Street has been overhead as long as Karen Reiss Staub can remember. “Reiss Jeweler” glows in green and red, with a big yellow arrow pointing toward the tiny jewelry shop.
Staub believes the sign dates back to 1965, when her grandfather George Reiss and father Max Reiss relocated to the 400 square-foot shop for its prime location—near the bustling Central Market stands in downtown York, Pa.
Inside, some of the jewelry cases offer timeless, traditional gold watches, diamond wedding bands and eclectic estate jewelry—similar to those her father and grandfather carried over the past seven decades. Others showcase newer, artistic styles—some created by Staub’s own hand, as she guides the business over the eight-decade mark.
Today, Staub’s A-frame sign on the sidewalk reads, “The Watchmaker’s Daughter.” It’s the latest iteration of the 80-year-old family business, now spanning three generations. Still, the glowing neon sign keeps watch above. Staub says customers are occasionally confused about the business’ name, but she likes explaining the lineage and evolution.
“It’s a legacy that was started so long ago—it’s a big responsibility to carry that on and help it survive,” says Staub, 54. “It’s a big honor to take over something, that someone else has given birth to.”