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Melody
remembers the overwhelming feelings of fear and devastation to
this day. Each time she hears the siren’s wail from a fire
engine, she says a silent prayer for those they’re rushing to
serve. Kathleen and Virgil Lowe invited Melody and Allen to stay
warm at their home while the firefighters worked to contain the
monstrous fire. The three-story building on the corner of Kickapoo
Street and Pekin Street contained apartments, a paper-goods store,
a dance studio and a professional office as well as the jewelry
store. Fortunately, no one was hurt and the wind was blowing north
or the fire could have taken the whole downtown block. Allen
checked on the situation every hour but it wasn’t until after 9
a.m. that they were allowed to enter what remained of the
building.
[MKS owner Melody Shew
waits on Mrs. Bertha Scroggins.]
Melody
and Allen had just purchased the business, Williams Jewelers, six
months before. Melody had worked at the store for seven years and
had talked of purchasing the store when Jim Williams retired. When
Williams passed away suddenly, it sped up the timetable. Even
though Williams had taught Melody the art of engraving, soft
soldering and how to change watch batteries, she felt unprepared
to take over the business. In addition, she had the challenges of
young children, with Angela in the fourth grade and Mark in
kindergarten. Teaming with her husband, Allen, made all the
difference. According to Melody, Allen had all the business sense,
having managed the Chestervale Elevator for many years. So, he
managed "after school time" as the children were dropped
off at the elevator following classes.
As
other stores opened their doors on the morning of Feb. 25, 1982,
Melody and Allen were only allowed to see what was left of theirs.
The firemen directed their way across the unstable charred floor
as they filled plastic garbage cans from the paper goods store.
The Timexes were still ticking but rapidly rusting. Some of the
jewelry had fallen from the store window to the basement and is
still there today, buried under the rafters. The safe lodged
itself between a partition and had to be removed by a crane with a
specially built cage to enclose it. Insurance coverage required an
inventory. State Bank of Lincoln offered their basement vault at
the Woodlawn Road location to store what was left. Melody says,
"You could smell the smoke every time you walked in the
bank."
Many
people would have given up at this point and walked away, but
Melody and Allen were determined to reopen. Not just anywhere,
either, it had to be downtown. Melody cites the traffic, the
historic area and the security as the reasons why. A mere month
after the fire, the new "MKS Jewelers" opened in three
rented office suites in the Red Cross building on Kickapoo Street.
Even after knocking out the walls, the store was too small and
they quickly outgrew the space.
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MKS
moved to its current location at 614 Broadway, one year later.
Melody had had her eye on the property, a former shoe store, for
some time. The move meant a major renovation, as the walls were
lined with racks for shoes. While Schoen’s Shoe Store held
clearance sales, Allen built walls at the elevator that could be
moved into the new location. All of the pre-work paid off, as MKS
would close on a Friday on Kickapoo Street and reopen on Monday on
Broadway Street.
The
final facelift came just six years ago. Tired of the squeaky
floors, they moved the showcases to a space next door and tore up
the carpeting. Son, Mark, crawled under and bolstered the floor to
eliminate the squeaks and sags. New carpeting was installed and
the showcases moved back in. MKS was closed just one day.
If
they could talk, the showcases would surely have a tale to tell.
They were in William’s Jewelers at the time of the fire were and
restored by a fire restoration company. They’ve moved to two
other locations and been filled countless times with diamonds,
rubies and pearls. Children have pressed their noses against them,
women have wished over them and men have spoiled their sweethearts
over them.
Helping
to select an engagement ring is Melody’s favorite activity. It
does mean keeping secrets though—even from her own daughter,
Angela, when Mike Getchel bought a ring for her, and from her
future daughter-in-law, Rachel Baird, when her son Mark bought a
ring. Confidentiality is something Melody requires from her staff,
because they don’t want to spoil any surprises.
[MKS Jewelers, located at 614
Broadway Street in downtown Lincoln, displays
a variety of fine jewels and gift items.]
Everyone
can find a favorite at MKS Jewelers, as Melody and her staff
strive to stay on top of the new trends. They are members of RJO
(Retail Jeweler’s Organization), a buying group that brings the
big companies to the small stores at two shows a year. MKS also
holds memberships in the Illinois Jeweler’s Association and the
Jeweler’s of America, and the entire staff attends their
conferences. Melody has honed the skills she once thought she
lacked at the Gemological Institute of America, taking
certification courses in diamonds and retail business. If jewelry
isn’t "your thing," MKS has crystal, pewter, clocks,
baby gift items, pilgrim glass and scented candles.
MKS
Jeweler’s is a family business. "MKS" stands for
Melody Kay Shew – who still does the engraving and soft
soldering. The staff includes daughter, Angela, and sister, Kenda
Colby. Melody’s son, Mark, and brother-in-law, Dean Colby, have
helped Allen move and renovate. The teamwork has paid off, as 18
years after the fire, MKS Jewelers is thriving.
MKS
is also a partner of Main Street Lincoln, and Melody is the
chairman of the LCHS grand march committee.
[Wendy
Bell, program manager
Main Street Lincoln]
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