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David Gaines
A Flint (Gem)Stone:
How Gaines Jewelry has been giving back to Flint for three generations
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Since the original store opened in 1963, Gaines Jewelry, and the Gaines family, have been investing in the people of the greater-Flint area. David Gaines, the current owner/operator, learned the jewelry trade from his father who moved north to Flint from Gideon, Missouri in the mid-50’s, following the large number of people coming to the area to work for General Motors.
David’s father, Bob Gaines, who credits his World War II service and the G.I. Bill with helping him to attend watchmaking school, started his business by repairing watches at the local drugstore in a small farming community. Developing his skill over a number of years, he eventually made the unlikely leap from repairman to merchant.
When asked about his father, David said, “My dad grew up extremely impoverished, but he lived the American Dream and laid the groundwork for our current success and ability to give back.” David said his father was committed to making the business successful, but more importantly, he was committed to investing in people and the community around him.
David and his wife Marisa follow this same philosophy and believe that giving back to the community is critical. David said, “I learned from my father that we are all patches on the same quilt and we are all tied together, so I always try to help as many people as I can.” Whether this means offering a great place to work for his 15 employees, gifts to local charities, or volunteer support, the Gaines family supports a number of causes. These include their church and other faith-based organizations, youth groups, the Flint Cultural Center, Whaley Childrens’ Center, the Crim Fitness Foundation, and many others.
In 2021 the Gaines family is expanding upon their dream of supporting the community. They recently opened a new location on Linden Road in Flint Township, which has a showroom three times the size of their previous location. The Gaines family is excited at the prospect of using this space to partner with and benefit more community partners. David is also proud of “having a full-service store that is beautiful but not stuffy; a place that is warm, welcoming, and inclusive of the entire community - a place where people can feel good.”
The new store is also home to two special employees, David and Marisa’s children. David’s son, Wesley, is a goldsmith, and his daughter Selina handles sales and social media. Not only is David happy to keep his business in the family, but he is incredibly grateful to the Flint community for many years of support. David’s father was fond of saying, “I opened this store as a young man and became an old man.” While David is not yet old, he is continuing his father’s time-tested method of using every tool available to build up people and community.
If you’d like to visit the new Gaines Jewelry location and continue to support one of Flint’s finest gems, you can do so at the Gaines x Crim Holiday Open House on December 8 (time of day?). Make sure to stop in to see their beautiful collection and the work of the resident clocksmith and goldsmiths.
The Crim is continually grateful for the support of our wonderful community partners, including the Gaines Family.
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THANK YOU!
We continue to be very appreciative of you, our supporters, foundation/community partners, and donors. With your generosity, we are able to continue our service during these times.
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