This Lansing jewelry store is a legend in mid-Michigan for its custom jewelry, and exceptional products and services. Independently owned and locally operated Linn & Owen is known to offer the finest in products and services. The jeweler applies time-tested skills and techniques to create pieces worthy of being enjoyed now and of such quality to pass onto the next generations.
Linn & Owen offers custom and commissioned pieces by artists creating spectacular pieces from precious metals. These one-of-a-kind pieces are available in classic and contemporary designs. The store also offered well respected jewelry lines customers know by national name. Customers seeking a fine timepiece, come to the store to acquire the Linn & Owen wristwatch. Major brand watches are available too, and Linn & Owen is a Howard Miller Clock Company authorized service center. The store is a repair center as well. Linn & Owen is proud to offer free estimates for repairs in keeping with their tradition of providing exceptional products and services.
The path to the Linn & Owen Jewelers of today is the story of an exceptional jewelry store that began in 1917.
It starts with the Hanes family opening the Hanes Jewelry in downtown Lansing. At that time mechanical watch and clock repair was an essential service, helping the business stay open in its earliest years when there was a Spanish Flu pandemic.
Henry Linn came to work at Hanes Jewelry and then married Hanes daughter. In 1927, the business was sold to Linn and business partner watchmaker Harry Scutter creating Linn & Scutter.
In 1931, Joseph Owens took a job at Linn & Scutter Jewelers doing any task while apprenticing as a watchmaker (horologist). Linn stayed on and later Owens bought Scutter’s share in the business.
During World War II. The military moved Owens to Europe tasking him and others with keeping any and all time devices within the region in working order. Owens returned from the war to enlarge the jewelry store space as well as add his name creating the business now known as Linn & Owen Jewelers. (They left the “s” off the Owens name to simplify the business name.)
By the early seventies, Owen’s’ son was to take over the business but instead he opened kiosks at the new malls in three cities (including Lansing) called Bangles and Beads. Meanwhile, South Lansing Jewelry closed sending their employees to Linn & Owen.
Stewart Powell, current owner of Linn & Owen Jewelers began working at the store when he was in high school. He apprenticed in jewelry repair, design and manufacturing, then horology, and then gemology and appraising. Powell purchased the business in 1993. Per Powell, “I am very close to half a century with Linn & Owen. I now have the greatest longevity and I am the eldest owner. However, if not for my “dinosaur” attitude, many would name me a fool for not creating an online store but the bench work consumes 100% of our time, and the way I see it, we are still one little place in the heart of Lansing instead of one of many thousands of options on the internet.” Linn & Owen Jewelers is a timeless treasure.
“I am grateful for all of the people I have met and known and call my friends. And I will always be grateful to the old-timers who guided me on this journey. I managed to talk one of Owens’ grandsons to come work with us about twenty-five years ago. He was so talented that we convinced him to apply to Lititz Watch Technicum, a prestigious school of horology supported by Rolex. Linn’s great-granddaughter comes in for several hours per week to experience what life was like for Henry,” says Powell. The tradition continues.
Linn & Owen Jewelers is located at 223 S. Washington Square., Lansing. Phone 517-482-0054, The store is open 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Tuesday – Friday, 10 a.m .- 2 p.m. Saturday (excluding holidays). Closed July 2- 12.
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