Bradlee's B&C Jewelers Adds Old Town Store on King Street

The oldest business at Alexandria’s Bradlee Shopping Center — B&C Jewelers — is making some big changes, according to Mark Forness, grandson of the late Harold Becker, who founded the business 61 years ago.

B&C Jewelers recently opened a new location, in Old Town Alexandria, at 1010 King St., and also plans to downsize its Bradlee store, moving to another location within Bradlee Shopping Center in mid-January after the holidays, Forness said.

In addition to offering all of its usual jewelry repairs and sales, the new location is the exclusive retailer in Old Town for the Pandora jewelry line. Popular purchases, especially as the holidays near: Engagement rings. Trends include “halo“ rings -- a diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds, Forness noted.

Forness and sister Brook Von Steinner are the third generation of the family working at the family’s three stores (another is located in Clarendon). Their mother Vicki is the daughter of Harold and Carol Becker, who died in 2010. Between Vicki and husband Nolan and their children, they keep the three stores humming.

The jewelry store got its start in 1953 and is the longest running tenant at Bradlee Shopping Center. Becker opened the Bradlee store in 1957. Giant was another tenant that was at the center from the beginning; it closed last year and was replaced by The Fresh Market in January.

The original jewelry store was called B&G Jewelers; the “G” was for Gleason, Becker’s then-partner’s last name, Mark Forness said. After buying him out, Becker wanted to keep a similar-sounding name for the store, so he changed the “G” to a “C.” (And it didn’t hurt that his wife’s name was Carol.)

B&C Jewelers’ new spot at Bradlee will likely be the location where Hair Cuttery was located, next door to SunTrust Bank. Hair Cuttery moved to a new spot at the shopping center, next door to Wells Fargo at Bradlee.

Taking B&C Jewelers’ larger spot at Bradlee after they make their move? Forness says the shopping center will soon be home to a Sleepy’s Mattress store. The closest Sleepy’s is at Shoppes of Foxchase on Duke Street, owned by Washington Real Estate Investment Trust. WRIT is also owner of Bradlee.

Mark Forness said he is looking to hire holiday and part-time help at B&C Jewelers.

PHOTO: B&C Jewelers has opened a new location at 1010 King St. in Old Town Alexandria. It’s the third store for the 61-year old family business. Photo courtesy of B&C Jewelers.