The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-01-31
d. B. HAMAKER.

There are quite number Of notable
places of business in Staunton, but Of
them all we doubt if there is one that so
quickly arrests the attention Of passers-
by upon Main street as does the hand
some jewelry establishment of D. B.
Hamaker. Nearly the entire front is OF
glass, affording an uninterrupted view OF
the salesroom, and this view is such as
to tempt one to infinitely explore the in
terror. Such trip of exploration the
VALLEY VIRGINIAN reporter recently
made, and we certainly were both inter
ested and instructed by what we saw.
In this connection we can do no better
than quote what the VALLEY VTRGTNIAN
said Of the house just prior to Christ
mas. : The paragraph in question read +:
"Hamaker's elegant establishment is
perfect blaze Of brilliancy. In novel
ties Of fine jewelry for holiday presents,
a magnificent assortment will be found
here. Diamonds and precious stones of
all kinds are spread around in rich pro-
fusion and in the most delicately beauti-
full of settings. But the jewelry proper
comprises but one of the many attrac-
tons of this extensive establishment
Here can be seen elegantly engraved
silver and plated ware of the newest de-
signs in table sets. cake baskets, card re-
ceivers and hundred different things !;
the finest make of watches, bisque and
bronze figures. elegant clocks in hand
some cases, and gold in all its dainty
forms of manufacture. The scene in the
store-room is one of bewildering beauty,
reminding the beholder Of the gem COW
cred caves of fiction. Hamaker's es-
Enlistment is credit to Staunton, as it
would be to any city Of the South, and
for the holiday season of 1883 the attrac-l
tons it presents far outnumber any peril
cd Of its successful career"
There are six oblong silver plated
counter show cases, silver upright ca
ses, two elegant black walnut upright
wall cases, &C., and within these differ
ent cases there is the glitter Of gold, the
sheen OF silver, the sparkle Of diamonds,
--inother words. an array of attractions
is presented that fully warrant the praise
we have just quoted.
Mr., Hamaker is comparatively re-
cent acquisition to the trade circles of
Staunton, having come here in April,
1881; though he did not engage in bust
ness until the following July. Heis orig
inally from Vincennes, Indiana, and is
the only native of that State doing bust
ness herewhom we have yet met. The
iewelry trade was an entirely new de-
parture" for Mr.. Hamaker, though he
has been connected with various bust
ness interests nearly all his life. When
he opened his store here, at the corner
of Main and New streets he not only
secured an admirable location but he at
once stocked it with large and superior
class Of goods, and, as his trade grew he
increased this stock, added other attrac-
tons, and SO by degrees and yet rapidly
has made the house what it is. He has
thus retained to this city large trade
that used to 60 elsewhere, and, in refer
, ring to his business Mr.. Hamaker frank
iy admitted to us that it had far exceed
ed his expectations.
Itswould be impossible, within the
hmitssf newspaper article, to mention
even 1.-THE of the attractions presented
by the house. The handicraft of many
cunning workmen is displayed; in
watches, leading manufacturers of this
country and Europe are represented in
silver ware the best, most reliable makes
are shown; in jewelry there are ten
thousand things to tempt the eye-in
brief there is everything to commend,
and we hope that the success that has
attended the enterprise thus far may be
greatly added to in the years to come.