Contact: Richard Kessler or Jeri Raith, Kesslers Diamonds
262-255-8600 – richardk@kesslers.us, jerir@kesslers.us
The new Kesslers Diamonds store in downtown Milwaukee opens Friday, Oct. 2, at 450 E.
Mason Street.
“We’re excited to be part of the dynamic downtown scene, and to be more conveniently located
for our customers in that part of the metro area,” said Richard Kessler, president of the
employee-owned company.
Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and 10 a.m to 5 p.m. Saturdays.
Kessler — wearing a white tux — will greet visitors to the new store as part of its grand opening
celebration Oct. 14-16. He’ll be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. those days to have his photo
with visitors.
“It’s not uncommon for customers to ask to have a photo taken with Richard when he’s at one of
our five other stores,” said Jeri Raith, marketing manager for Kesslers Diamonds. “People are
so accustomed to hearing him on the radio; they’re thrilled when they get to see him in person.”
The downtown Milwaukee store occupies 2,200 square feet of space in the George Watts & Son
building. Like other Kesslers Diamond stores, the downtown location will deal exclusively in
diamonds and diamond engagement rings, but will have a larger assortment of diamond gift
items that Kessler believes will be desired by people who work downtown and by tourists.
The interior will be a visual showpiece with unique finishes, specialty lighting, and clever focal
points, Kessler said. Key windows will have “New York style” art installations, creating a buzz on
Mason and Jefferson streets. Changed on a regular basis, those displays will become a “must
see” for locals and out-of-town visitors, he added.
The presence of Kesslers Diamonds reinforces the Watts building as a wedding planning
destination. Along with the George Watts & Son business and the Watts Tea Room, the building
also is home to Zita Bridal Salon.
The building’s valet parking is available to Kessler’s Diamonds customers.
It is the first non-suburban store for the company, which operates five other diamond centers in
Wisconsin, and which will open its first out-of-state store in metropolitan Grand Rapids, Mich., in
November.
Kesslers Diamonds is Wisconsin’s largest seller of diamonds and diamond engagement rings.
The company, which became employee-owned in 2011, has stores in Germantown, Brookfield,
Appleton, Greenfield and Madison. Its Grandville, Mich., store is scheduled to open in early
November.
The company is online at kesslersdiamonds.com.
