For almost half a century they were the jeweler of Heiloo and helped generation after generation with engagement and wedding rings, earrings and bracelets. But after 46 years it has been enough for the couple Rita and Simon Peek: they are retiring. “More time for the children and grandchildren, our friends and the caravan.”
Rita and Simon Peek from Heiloo with radio presenter Patricia Nagelkerke – NH Radio
Surrounded by gold, silver and precious stones, the couple helped more than 150,000 customers in their Peek Juwelier business on Stationsweg in Heiloo over the years. It is one of the facts from the book, which their son has written especially for his parents’ well-deserved retirement.
Their customers are everywhere, even in New York and Canada, says Simon. “They don’t know those typical Dutch jewellery, such as special link bracelets. So they come to us especially for a repair.”
The couple is a guest Lunchroom on NH Radio and runs into an old customer just before the broadcast. “We sold those wedding rings last spring,” says Rita.
Familiar faces
She is good at remembering faces and often knows exactly what her customer needs, she says. “Then I say to Simon, for example: we better do it this way and that way, because she already has this.”
“People trusted us and shared everything. We also leave the business with a lot of secrets”
Jeweler Simon Peek from Heiloo
Joys and sorrows were shared with customers. When there was a wedding, it was a party in the store. But Rita and Simon, for example, also regularly helped their customers with a special piece of jewelry after a death. “Then you did your best and you also offered a listening ear,” says Rita.
Lots of secrets
“Sometimes it seemed like confessing what they did, people trusted us and shared everything. We also leave the case with a lot of secrets,” adds Simon.
Times have changed a lot over the years. “Of course a lot is bought on the internet, but I’ve never been afraid of that,” says Rita. “Jewellery should be seen and felt. We have also seen all the trends. Small, large, silver, gold, bling-bling, the market is also constantly changing.”
Rita is a butcher’s daughter, but always wanted her own shop. Simon was a watchmaker. “That’s how the choice was made to start a jewelry store together. We had work from day one,” she says. And soon there was a storm. “We started with nothing and had a lot of competition. But we stayed the longest and really became a household name. Our customers come from Heiloo and far beyond.”
“We had crying customers in the business who said: are you really going to stop?”
Jeweler Simon Peek from Heiloo
Why are they so loved? “No does not exist with us”, says Rita. “We always look at possibilities. What is the wish and what can we do.
But after 46 years it has been nice. The business has been sold. Yet saying goodbye to all regular customers was not easy. “It was very emotional, but very beautiful. A lot of people came by with tickets,” says Rita, as she fills up again.
Crying customers
Her husband takes over. “After 46 years it’s also something. We had crying customers in the business who said: are you really going to stop? They think you can always go on. That’s just not possible,” says Simon. “We have to be sober, because suppose something happens to one of us. We really can’t run that business on our own.”
Now that the business has actually been sold, they can no longer ignore it: they are retired. “We still have to land, because it takes a lot of getting used to,” says Rita. “But when we recently babysat our grandchild, we walked a lot more relaxed behind the pram. It gives peace.”
2023-08-06 07:00:00
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