The National Retail Federation expects retail sales growth to return to pre-pandemic levels as consumers continue to face inflation.
Holocaust Survivor and Jeffrey Mann Jewelers Matriarch Rena Mann Dies
Mann, who opened the Ohio jewelry store with her husband and son in 1984, was 95.

She was 95.
Rena was born on April 4, 1927, in Berlin, Germany, to the late Leon and Gertruda Wollstein.
She spent four years of her young life in concentration camps. Russian soldiers liberated the last camp she was in on the final day of the war.
Having lost both her parents and with nowhere else to go, Rena moved to Katowice, Poland—where her family had settled before the war started—and was reunited with her stepfather.
She eventually left Poland for London and lived there for several years before making her way to New York City via the RMS Queen Elizabeth.
It was in New York that she met her future husband, Alex Mann, on a blind date.
They married on June 25, 1953, and in 1958 relocated for Alex’s job to Toledo, Ohio, where they had two children, Gigi and Jeffrey Mann.
Alex worked in sales for Toledo Appliances Inc. for years before the couple realized their dream of owning their own business, opening Jeffrey Mann Fine Jewelers in 1984 alongside their son, then a manager and top sales associate at local chain Keidan’s Jewelers.
“My dad had a lot of confidence in me and my abilities, so the idea to open our own jewelry store was made,” Jeff said.
Alex ran the business, while Rena handled administration and Jeff took care of sales.
Rena retired a decade later, while Alex and Jeff continued to work together until Alex’s passing in February 2003. Gigi joined the family business as director of new business development along the way.
Rena is remembered as an eternal optimist who was tender, compassionate, and quick-witted.
She loved people, animals, and traveling, particularly her annual trips to Las Vegas, where she was perfectly content sitting in front of a slot machine with a bag of quarters.
Rena is survived by her daughter, Gigi (Gary) Lewis; her son, Jeffrey (Corrine) Mann; five grandchildren, Jason (Amanda) Lewis, Scott (Alyssa) Lewis, and Alexandria, Annsley, and Abigail Mann; and three great-grandchildren, Braydon, Colton, and Gianna Lewis.
Services were held Nov. 27 at Temple Shomer Emunim in Sylvania, Ohio.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Temple Shomer Emunim, the Toledo Humane Society, or Ebeid Hospice in Sylvania.
The Latest

The 4-carat, old mine brilliant-cut diamond engagement ring was co-designed by Willis and New York City-based brand Karina Noel.

Rio Tinto unearthed the diamond at its Diavik mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

Bench jewelers spend years honing their skills, Jewelers of America’s Certification validates their talents.

The multisensory experience, open April 8-13, will feature the brand’s silver creations among dream-like scenes of natural landscapes.


The virtual event will take place April 7 at 3 p.m.

The pieces in “Animali Tarallo” portray animals from stingrays to elephants through portraits and interpretations of their patterns.

Natural diamonds mean more than lab-grown, but when every cut is ideal, they all look the same. Customers want more—Facets of Fire delivers.

Parent company Saks Global said the iconic location will be open through the holiday season as it decides what to do with the space.

Ronald Winston, son of Harry Winston, donated the diamonds to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

The educational event will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, this May.

The layoffs come amid the TV shopping channel’s efforts to restructure and focus on live shopping through social media.

The debut event will take place in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood this fall.

The roundtable will take place May 17 ahead of the trade show’s welcome dinner.

The “Peanuts x Monica Rich Kosann” collection features the comic strip’s classic vocabulary across 10 bracelet designs.

Three industry experts dive into the complexities of the material often marketed as an “ethical” alternative for metal in jewelry.

Diamonds are not only one of the most prominent gemstones, but the birthstone for those born in April.

The Utah-based company known for making wedding bands has acquired Doubloon Golf.

The longtime luxury executive led one of LVMH’s watch brands, TAG Heuer, for 12 years before taking over Bulgari in 2013.

Authorities said the robbers fled with jewelry and 70 Rolex watches, later taking pictures of themselves posing with big stacks of cash.

Lotus Gemology founder Richard W. Hughes has translated Heinrich Fischer’s 1880 book “Nephrit und Jadeit” from its original German.

The ring's design features contrasting lines influenced by work from architecture-inspired photographer Nikola Olic.

The Conference Board’s index fell as consumers continued to worry about the impact of tariffs, the labor market, and the price of eggs.

However, two medieval jewels surpassed estimates at Noonans Mayfair’s recent jewelry auction in London.

The Oscar-nominated actor debuted in the campaign for the new “Top Time B31” collection, which introduced Breitling’s Caliber B31.

The Congress is scheduled to take place May 19-22 in Brasilia, Brazil.

The “150 Art Deco” collection features a Miss America timepiece and a pocket watch from the brand’s Archive Series.