FIND OUT: who supplied some of the finest jewelry in town

Peter Firestein remembers working for Block Bros. Jewelers in downtown South Bend.

Original photo courtesy of the History Museum.

Block Bros. Jewelers was established by the Block family in South Bend in 1922. It was the fourth store opened in the chain of jewelry stores operated by the Block family in Columbus, Ohio, Detroit and Flint, Michigan. Louis Block operated the store located at the corner of Michigan and Washington in South Bend, while his brother Saul Block owned and operated another store, Shaw's Jewelry, at the corner of Michigan and Wayne (see photos below).

Watch the video below to hear Peter Firestein remember what it was like working for Block Bros. Jewelers in downtown South Bend.

An article in the “South Bend News-Times” announcing the opening of the store said “no expense has been spared to give the public the highest class store obtainable.” Mahogany shelves lined the walls. They carried $75,000 worth of jewelry, silverware, cut glass, and ivory. Their tag line was “South Bend’s Finest Jeweler.” Lou Block served on the Board of Trustees and as President of Temple Beth-El from 1953-1955.

TEMPLE BETH-EL BREAKS GROUND FOR ADDITION (September 1954)—Left to right are Ben Weinstein, trustee; Cantor Sheldon H. Merel: Louis Block, president of the congregation; Arthur S. Simon, trustee; Rabbi Albert M. Shulman; Joseph Ziker, trustee; Milton Reis, vice-president; and Herman Siegel, trustee. Original photo courtesy of the South Bend Tribune.

Photos of Saul Block at Shaw’s Jewelry at the corner of Michigan and Wayne in South Bend. Shaw’s Jewelry would ultimately close it’s doors in 1963. Photographs courtesy of Sandra Janovsky Block.

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