For nearly 90 years, Segner’s Jewelers has been part of the Fredericksburg community, marking engagements, anniversaries, milestones, and family traditions along the way. But behind the jewelry is a family story of its own, one that has grown through several generations and continues today with owners Jennifer Spies and her father, Sammy.
For Jennifer, being part of that history is both an honor and a responsibility. We sat down with Jennifer to chat about family, Fredericksburg, and the legacy that is Segner’s Jewelers.
What does it mean to you to carry on the Segner’s family legacy?
Jennifer: “I’m grateful for the opportunity to keep the family legacy going. I was very close with my grandfather, and I’m grateful that he had a vision that I’m here to honor.
My grandfather was a creator and a fixer of everything. He started out repairing jewelry, but he would repair pretty much anything that needed to be repaired in Fredericksburg in those early days. I have that same mentality. I want our doors to be open to every customer and every repair, whether it’s something small, something large, or a complete recreation.”
Segner’s Jewelers has been part of your life for as long as you can remember. What was it like growing up in the family business, and how did those early experiences shape the role you have today?
Jennifer: “I’ve lived and breathed this all my life. I was buying jewelry when I was five. I was engraving pieces when I was probably 10 and working on clocks when I was 12. I’m a very hands-on individual, and I like to work. Working is fun.
I went on to study the bench side of the jewelry business and spent many years working as the bench jeweler myself. Now I’m more on the administrative side, but I still get to be involved in solving problems and creating things.”
Jennifer’s grandfather, John J. Segner, established the business in 1937. Over the decades, other members of the family helped shape its next chapters. Her grandmother became an important part of the customer experience, introducing services such as bridal registry and becoming well known for her pearl stringing. Jennifer’s father, Sammy, took on watchmaking and repair, while her uncle helped lead the company’s second location in Bee Cave for many years.
“Each generation added something of its own,” Jennifer says. It helped Segner’s grow without losing the personal connection that started it all.
What have those generations taught you about what Segner’s should be for its customers?
Jennifer: “It’s always the story. Whether it’s a new piece or an old piece that someone brings in because it belonged to their grandmother, it’s always about the story of the jewelry and the connection.
We’ve had four or five generations of families come back to the store to find engagement rings. It was important to them, and it was just as important to us.”
That long-term relationship is one of the things Jennifer and Sammy value most. Segner’s often meets customers during one of the biggest moments of their lives, then gets to see the story continue.
“We get to see it from day one when the guy comes in,” Jennifer says. “We see their emotions, their excitement, and their nerves. Then we move on to when they have babies, anniversaries, and all of a sudden we have clients celebrating their 50th anniversary when I’ve known them since their 20th.”
As Segner’s Jewelers looks toward its future, what do you hope never changes?
Jennifer: “Technology is changing fast, and I’m a big believer that we always have to keep learning and growing. But I never want to lose the one-on-one customer service and the individual relationship.”
That same commitment to people is what makes Jennifer especially thankful for the community that has supported Segner’s through generations. As the business approaches its 90th anniversary in Fredericksburg and 40th in Bee Cave, she hopes the milestone will be another opportunity to give back, just as the family did for its 80th anniversary.
When you think about Segner’s Jewelers today, what are you most thankful for?
Jennifer: “I’m thankful for the community, always supporting us and looking to us as someone they trust for all of their special events. I’m thankful for family. Our family is strong. We’re a tight family with lots of support. And I’m thankful for my employees. I have a great team that sees the value of what Segner’s is and what it means to the community.”
For a family business approaching its 90th year, that may be the most fitting legacy of all: the pieces matter, but it’s the people and the stories attached to them that make them worth keeping.
“I’m thankful for the community always supporting us and looking at us for someone they trust and use for all of their special events in their lives.” - Jennifer