Our Story

1940-1949

During the 1940's, Helzberg's became known as the "Middle West's Largest Jewelers." The stores prospered during the war years and advertisements took on a patriotic tone. Always on the leading edge, Barnett pioneered a number of new ideas. For instance, his stores were among the first to offer customers the comfort of air conditioning.

At the end of the war, he pioneered the idea of expansion to the suburbs, moving his stores away from the downtown business hub of Kansas City.

In 1948, Barnett built the store of his dreams on the elite Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri. Built on three levels and selling fine china and silver in addition to jewelry, "Helzberg's House of Treasures" welcomed enormous crowds on opening day. In the same year, Barnett built and equally elegant new store in Wichita, and with the opening of these two grand stores, the Helzberg chain had grown to 11 stores.