2019 Retailer Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

New York—National Jeweler’s Retailer Hall of Fame is back for another year, but this time around the categories have changed.

The publication first introduced the Retailer Hall of Fame in 1989 to recognize jewelers who have made significant contributions to jewelry retailing and inspired their peers.

Each year between 1989 and 2012, National Jeweler inducted retailers in three categories: single-store independent, multi-store independent and major corporations.

After a brief hiatus, the Hall returned in 2017 with a fresh set of winners.

This year, however, National Jeweler has opted to switch it up a bit, honoring two single-store independent jewelers along with one multi-store independent.

For 2019, the inductees are as follows:

Single-Store Independent: Cathy Calhoun of Calhoun Jewelers in Royersford, Pennsylvania;
Single-Store Independent: David and Julia Gardner of David Gardner’s Jewelers & Gemologists in College Station, Texas; and
Multi-Store Independent: Steve and Judy Padis of Padis Jewelry in the San Francisco area.

Cathy Calhoun’s eponymous jewelry store is located about 30 miles outside of Philadelphia in a fully renovated bank. Her store and home, also a renovated bank, have both landed her features on HGTV’s “If Walls Could Talk” and “You Live in What,” as well as, more recently, an appearance in Netflix’s “Amazing Interiors.”)

She is a past president of the American Gem Society (2010 to 2012), and the organization awarded her with the first Sallie Morton Guild Award in 2014 and its Robert M. Shipley Award in 2017.

She also was named the Pennsylvania Jeweler of the Year in 2009 by the Pennsylvania Jewelers Association.

Calhoun serves on the board of directors for Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company, Jewelers for Children, the Diamond Empowerment Fund and Jewelers of America.

David Gardner began his jewelry career more than 47 years ago sweeping the floors at a local Zales store and later discovered his passion for design while working for a jeweler in Salado, Texas.

Over the years, his wife, Julia Gardner, has helped shape his design philosophy of beauty, value and wearability.

The two opened David Gardner’s Jewelers in the fall of 1983. Their designs have been worn by high-profile people such as Former First Lady Barbara Bush, Former “Good Morning America” co-host Joan Lunden and current “Good Morning America” anchor Amy Robach.

The Gardners also are active in their community, engaging in more than 400 partnerships big and small to help various organizations raise money and serving on numerous boards and in various organizations