tinge
Cl address
After 18 years, Tapper's is leaving its original location
in Southfield for a store nearly twice the size in a
West Bloomfield mall.
STEVE STEIN STAFF WRITER
recent customer at Tapper's Dia- problem, they have straightened it out
monds and Fine Jewelry proposed immediately."
Howard and his wife, Susan, opened
to his girlfriend by having his in-
tended read the marriage pro- Tapper's in 1977. Steven came on board
six months later.
posal on a ring-price ticket.
Initially, the store was about 1,000
Obviously, the surprise was
prearranged with Tapper's per- square feet. After several expansions it
grew to 6,600 square feet, but even this
sonnel.
But that wasn't the case with another was not enough space.
Thanks to aggressive advertising, mar-
Tapper's customer. To the surprise not
only of his fiancee but the store's employ- keting and community involvement, Tap-
ees, one man literally got on his knee and per's has become one of the area's leading
popped the question in the middle of the jewelry stores. The move to West Bloom-
field will provide not only an increase in
workday.
Howard and Steven Tapper are broth- merchandise, but in services.
"There's some sadness, of course, about
ers and co-owners of Tapper's. They be-
lieve the unusual proposals demonstrate leaving the Southfield store because of our
the level of comfort customers have with history there, but it's overshadowed by the
the store, which has become a success in excitement and pride in the new store,"
an area of Southfield with few retail es- Steven Tapper said.
In addition to their work in the jewelry
tablishments.
But now major changes are planned for business, the Tappers have a long histo-
Tapper's. After 18 years in a multiple-use ry of support for Jewish organizations and
building on 12 Mile just east of North- other community causes. Howard is a past
western (which now contains only a few president of Hillel Day School, while
offices and a Chinese restaurant), Tap- Steven is a vice president of the Michigan
per's is moving to one of the busiest shop- Region of the Anti-Defama- Howard and
ping and restaurant districts in the don League.
Steven Tapper.
Each summer, Tap-
suburbs.
When the doors close at the Southfield per's holds a coat drive
store at 5:45 p.m. Saturday, merchandise for the Lighthouse hu-
will be hauled to a state-of-the-art, 11,000- man services agency of
square-foot facility in the Orchard Mall in Oakland County, and
West Bloomfield. The new Tapper's will it regularly provides STEVE STEIN STAFF WRITER
merchandise for char-
open 10 a.m. Thursday.
The move will be the first for a store itable fund-raisers.
rom his window, Antwerp
"We live and work
that has close and unique ties to the Jew-
Jewelers owner Glenn Bed-
ish community. The Tappers are on such here, and we consider
narsh can see the outside of
friendly terms with customers that they our leadership roles in
the new Tapper's Diamonds
the
community
very
are regularly invited to b'nai mitzvah.
and
Fine
Jewelry store.
Evelyn Berch of Oak Park, who has important," said
At 11,000 square feet, the Tap-
Steven
Tapper,
43.
been a customer at Tapper's for more than
per's location in the Orchard Mall
10 years, says she's not going to change "That's why we get in- dwarfs Mr. Bednarsh's 700-
volved."
allegiances even though she'll have a
The brothers say square-foot establishment in the
longer drive to the new store.
they
plan to continue Sugar Tree shopping center. But
"I'll still go there," Ms. Berch said. "I'm
the size difference and the
not going to give it up because the peo- that commitment — despite
disparity
in the number of em-
just
give
them
a
few
ple at Tapper's are terrific. They're good
ployees
(Tapper's
has 60 and
and kind and they stand behind their days to get settled in Antwerp has four), Mr.
Bednarsh
products.
isn't
worried.
"On the rare occasion when I've had a TAPPER'S page 50
Antwerp Jewelers Is Tapper's Neighbor
Cr)
w
U)
w
- D
LL,
CZ)
LLJ
1--
48
F
The 28-year-old Farmington want to have Tapper's in his area
Hills Harrison High School and is lying. Because Tapper's does
Eastern Michigan University such a great job of marketing, it
graduate says he welcomes Tap- brings in a lot of customers. I'm
per's, another Jewish family- hoping some of them will give me
owned business, into his West a try.
"It's going to be exciting and
Bloomfield neighborhood.
The new Tapper's is scheduled challenging to have Tapper's
to open Thursday after moving nearby. Will there be more pres-
from its original location on 12 sure on me? No. I'm trying to
Mile in Southfield. Tapper's was keep a family business going that
has been in the Detroit area for
in Southfield for 18 years.
"Competition is good for a busi- more than 100 years. How can
ness," Mr. Bednarsh said. "And
any jeweler who says he doesn't ANTWERP page 51
(--/\