Capitol Jewelers in Corydon, Indiana
Capitol Jewelers is invested in making sure you have the best experience possible. Co-owners Lana Higginbotham and Mark Peyron have a combined 60 years of experience in the jewelry business.
The store opened on Chestnut Street in Corydon in the spring of 2018. Originally, both Higginbotham and Peyron worked with Albin Jewelers, which had been in Corydon for 70 years. When the owners retired and that store closed, the pair decided to go into business together.
“I started right out of high school. My mother used to work at a jewelry store when I was growing up. It was something that I was passionate about.”
– Lana Higginbotham
“I started right out of high school. My mother used to work at a jewelry store when I was growing up,” Higginbotham said. “It was something that I was passionate about.”
Peyron took on the trade as a side job and fell in love with restoration, repairs and customized items.
In terms of starting the business, Higginbotham said they had quite the following of customers from Albin.
“We treat them like family — we know them and their kids and now their kids are coming in,” she said.
Apart from local customers in Corydon, they also have a large customer base in Brandenburg, New Albany, Louisville and farther down in Kentucky.
The store carries a broad range — everything from colored stones to diamonds, all metals, sterling silver and more.
“We try to have something affordable for everybody. A lot of our business is on our repair side also, being able to customize a purchase or restoring something. We do laser engraving customization as well.”
Lana Higginbotham, Co-owner
“We try to have something affordable for everybody. A lot of our business is on our repair side also, being able to customize a purchase or restoring something. We do laser engraving customization as well,” Higginbotham said.
They research vendors and are very selective with whose products they feature. Higginbotham said they have someone for diamonds she’s known for 30 years.
“We try to get ones (vendors) we are close to,” she said. “We depend on them, and we know what their product is.”
Higginbotham specifically mentioned their unique Samuel B. line. The products are sterling with a little bit of 18k gold and genuine gemstones.
For Higginbotham herself, she said, “I’m a diamond girl.”
In the past two years, she said the small business community has really taken off in Corydon. “We’re getting a lot of new businesses in — a lot of different kinds of businesses,” she said. “I really think that the downtown is starting to really thrive.”
Part of this boom, she said, is an increase in young people returning to local shopping.
“It’s been really great to see.”
The store offers a loyalty program where points are rewarded for every purchase made. Points can then be used toward new purchases. They also offer extra perks occasionally or early shopping for their sales.
The store offers a loyalty program where points are rewarded for every purchase made. Points can then be used toward new purchases. They also offer extra perks occasionally or early shopping for their sales.
Higginbotham said they incorporated permanent jewelry recently and have a new program coming up called CounterSketch.
“We will be able to sit down with a customer and actually custom design a ring right there on the computer screen with them,” she said. “They can actually visually change the stone, change the metal, change the height — they can do so much and see it on there in 3D.”
Higginbotham said she loves what she does and has the best staff she could ask for. This includes her co-owner, Mark, along with Claudia, Hannah, Josh and Kimberley.
“They give 100%,” she said.
She hopes customers always have a great experience and always feel welcome.
“We’re not pushy — we don’t try to oversell to people. We want them to be able to make up their own mind. We have people that come in to visit even when they’re not needing something, and that’s special.”
“We’re not pushy — we don’t try to oversell to people. We want them to be able to make up their own mind,” she said. “We have people that come in to visit even when they’re not needing something, and that’s special.”
Capitol Jewelers stands out among the rest due to its focus on customer service.
“That’s one thing in this day and age that you do not get at most places and that is our No. 1 priority,” she said. “We strive to make somebody happy when they come in the door and out the door. •
Capitol Jewelers is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can check them out at shopcapitoljewelers.com.
Story by Darian Decker
Photos by Michelle Hockman
silivingmag.com 