‘A lot of memories’: This Miracle Mile storefront is closing after 52 years
After 52 years, Snow’s Jewelers, one of the oldest storefronts in Miracle Mile, is closing.
Owners Eddie and Judy Snow are retiring.
For many, the closure marks the end of an era.
None of the Snows’ three daughters will take over the business. But it doesn’t mean fans of the couple won’t be able to get another Snow’s original.
The couple has rented out a smaller office space in a nearby building, at 2655 S. LeJeune Road, that is home to Ocean Bank and the Consulate of Spain in Miami. They plan to offer jewelry concierge services by appointment inside Suite 546.
Still, customers say it’s hard to imagine Miracle Mile without the Snows.
“This store definitely has a presence on the street. It’s going to be sad not to be able to come back here,” customer Pia Cortes Guerrero said during a recent visit. The 22-year-old said her mom is a longtime customer, and whenever they’re on Miracle Mile, they always stop by to say hello and browse. It’s their “fun little tradition.”
It’s hard for the Snows to imagine leaving the Mile, too.
“This business has a lot of memories,” said Eddie.
Memories on the Mile
Nearly 50 years ago, when the Snows were in a previous Gables location on the same block, Judy went into labor behind one of the counters. It was St. Patrick’s Day. Eddie rushed her to the hospital. Soon after, their first daughter, JJ, was born.
That’s just one example of a defining life moment that’s happened at their business. As they helped a steady stream of customers on a recent Friday afternoon, Eddie and Judy talked about the many other memories they’ve made since opening Snow’s Jewelers in 1974.
And some of their stories can definitely win “Two Truths and a Lie.”
Like that time Colombian drug lord Griselda Blanco, who mostly ran her empire in Miami, surprised them when she walked into the store. She was with a group of men who were picking up a jewelry order.
Or when Eddie chased and stopped a burglar a week before heart surgery.
Neither of them can forget the time Eddie tried to stop a suited man from following a customer to the bathroom. Then, the man in black pulled open his jacket.
“Secret Service,” Eddie said.
The customer? The Snows learned it was Panamanian President Eric Delvalle. The politician, who died in 2015, was one of the couple’s longtime loyal customers.
The couple’s relationship got its start even earlier than the business, more than 50 years ago.
Their love story began with a suitcase full of fine jewelry. Judy was working for a networking group that was hosting an event at the Biltmore. Eddie, who was working for his father’s jewelry business at the time, was there to give a presentation.
Eddie asked Judy if she could keep an eye on the suitcase.
“Hold on to this until I get back. Don’t give it to anybody. Don’t open it,” Eddie remembers telling her.
Judy was intrigued, both by the suitcase and the man who gave it to her. Eventually, Eddie opened the suitcase to reveal the jewels inside. The two began to talk, and within a week, Eddie asked her out on a date to watch “The Thomas Crown Affair.”
They watched the movie about five times, back to back. It’s still one of their favorites.
Back then, Eddie always worked late in his family’s store, carefully crafting a ring, a necklace, a bracelet. Judy was right beside him, helping around the store, bringing dinner, keeping him company. They just wanted to spend time together.
“It was very natural ... and I always knew we were going to get married,” Judy said.
The first sale
In 1974, three months before saying “I do,” the pair opened Snow’s Jewelers on Miracle Mile. It took three weeks to make their first sale: a $35 jade bracelet.
“We broke out a bottle of champagne” to celebrate with the customer, said Eddie.
Shortly after, Judy became the first woman in Florida to become a graduate gemologist.
Who you want is her, Eddie remembers telling customers, who at the time were often surprised to see a woman handling appraisals.
The business has come a long way since then. The store developed a loyal following and is now one of the oldest storefronts on the Mile. Second and third generations of customers have bought rings, watches and other jewelry there.
But the couple — now in their 70s and 80s — want to slow down. It’s not easy to run a store.
“It’s a huge responsibility. You lay awake at night,” said Judy.
That’s why the Snows say they’re retiring and closing up shop ahead of their lease ending April 15. They’ve been hosting large sales to empty out inventory.
They still plan to see their customers inside the new office space for concierge services — and around town, too. The Snows have made their mark in the Gables. Their daughter Mary, for example, is the executive director of the Coral Gables Community Foundation and was recently recognized for her civic leadership during a Coral Gables Museum gala.
Eddie and Judy, who have previously been honored by the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, are also expected to be recognized in an upcoming February City Commission meeting. Mayor Vince Lago is sponsoring a resolution to declare Feb. 10 as Snow’s Jewelers Day.
The key to the Snows’ success? Gaining customer trust, according to Eddie and Judy.
“That seems like oversimplifying it ... but just the fact that they could always count on us” to give fair prices and be truthful, said Eddie.
For Guerrero, a longtime customer, it’s also how personal the service is.
“It’s not ‘one jewelry piece fits all,’” she said. “It’s like they really try to find what fits you and what fits your style and your personality.”
Inside the store, an aged photo of the couple is surrounded by written messages from customers, neighbors and friends wishing them a happy retirement.
“Jewelry is just more than jewelry,” said Judy. “You know, it’s our livelihood.”
