Timmins jewelry store marks 60 years

Timmins jewelry store marks 60 years Busch Jewellers, a jewelry store located downtown in Timmins, is celebrating its 60th anniversary.

Busch Jewellers, a jewelry store located downtown in Timmins, is celebrating its 60th anniversary.

The Busch family business has persevered through six decades of change, such as online shopping, a global pandemic and crime.

It all began when the owner's father was brought to Timmins by a developer who wanted a reliable repair shop to open in town.

“He said, 'I need somebody that can fix it once and not have to come back every year to do the same job,'" said owner Helmut Busch.

"So that's what prompted him to proposition my dad and say listen how about coming up? Have a look.”

While celebrating 60 years in the city, this line of work has been in the Busch family for more than 100 years, beginning in Germany.

The repair tools he inherited from his forefathers are the ones he continues to use day-to-day at the store.

“Those tools are better than what you buy today," he said.

"It’s just unreal. There’s various repair jobs that make the job easier and make it even better and these are tools that are no longer made today -- and I feel privileged having those tools from my grandfather.”

The history and anniversary was something Busch's employees thought should be celebrated and they planned a surprise party for Friday.

“It was a lot of work to get done without him knowing and between me and my friend here we did a lot of work," said employee Aline Boissonneault.

"We got hold of a lot of people and he was really surprised.”

Boissonneault has worked at the business for more than 20 years and recruited her friend three years ago.

“She called me to come and in fill in on her holidays and I just never left,” said Karen Walsh.

Busch said the loyalty he feels from his customers for generations is what he finds more gratifying than the work itself -- and he promises to continue.