Step inside the nearly 21,000-square-foot suburban Chicago jewelry store with Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff.
Longtime Jeweler Marilyn Minster-Ostheimer Dies at 87
She ran one of America’s oldest jewelry stores for 70 years.
Newark, Del.--Marilyn Minster-Ostheimer, who helmed one of America’s oldest jewelry stores for seven decades, died Dec. 28. She was 87.
Minster-Ostheimer got into the jewelry business in 1945 at the age of 15.
According to an article about her passing in the Newark (Delaware) Post, she was friends with William Minster, the teenage son of the second-generation owner of J.J. Minster Jewelers, which then was located in Elkton, Maryland.
She hung around the store so much that John Henry Minster suggested she start working there, and so she did.
Minster-Ostheimer eventually married William Minster and, in 1955, helped the family open a second store in Newark, Delaware.
She took over the business, today called Minster’s Jewelers, in the 1960s when her husband retired due to health problems. He later died and she remarried.
Over the years, Minster-Ostheimer became a respected member of the Newark business community, spearheading the revitalization of downtown and, particularly, the renovation of the Newark Shopping Plaza, where her store is the oldest tenant.
The Newark Post reported that she was considered by many to be the “dean of the Newark business community” and also was a strong supporter of the arts in that town.
Two days after her death, her son, Will Minster, posted this on Facebook: “Every Main Street has their champion, and Newark and, before that, Elkton has lost a great one. For 70 of Minster’s Jewelers 122 years, she ran the business with pride. Many cannot remember how difficult it was for a female business owner in the ‘60s. She broke the barriers and refused to be denied.”
Will Minster told National Jeweler via Facebook Messenger that the store, which is marking 123 years in business this year, will continue.
Minster-Ostheimer is survived by her second husband, Henry Ostheimer; son, Will; and two daughters, Melissa Minster and Alice Minster Cody.
Funeral services are private.
The Latest
These punk-inspired earrings from the new Canadian brand’s debut collection reveal the alter ego of the classic pearl.
The company brings its nanotechnology to two new fancy cuts for diamonds that feature its signature color and brilliance.
From protecting customer data to safeguarding inventory records, it's crucial to learn how to tackle cybersecurity challenges.
Sponsored by Tasha R
Three Titanic survivors presented him with the personalized Tiffany & Co. timepiece about a year after the tragedy.
A federal court found that the jewelry store chain violated terms of the settlement reached after it was accused of defrauding customers.
This fall, sharpen your skills in jewelry grading, quality control and diamond assessment.
Cynthia Erivo chose Dreams of Hope, an organization dedicated to empowering LGBTQA+ youth, as the charity for this year’s collection.
The new space was designed to evoke a warm, inviting vibe.
The auction house was accused of helping clients avoid paying taxes on millions of dollars’ worth of art purchased from 2010 to 2020.
The four finalists will present their pieces at the 2025 JCK Las Vegas show.
The “Camera Oscura” collection showcases earring designs celebrating female Surrealist artists Claude Cahun and Leonor Fini.
The money will fund the planting of 10,000 trees in critical areas across Oregon, Arizona, Montana, and other regions.
The event centered on advancing jewelry manufacturing technology will return to Detroit in May 2025.
Local reports identified the woman as the wife of the jewelry store owner.
A collection of pieces owned by Ferdinand I, the first king of modern Bulgaria, and his family, blew away estimates in Geneva last week.
The Australian jewelry box brand’s new West Village store will showcase new jewelers each month through its Designer in Residence program.
“Lovechild” was created in partnership with Carolyn Rafaelian’s Metal Alchemist brand.
Hampton discussed how Helzberg is improving the customer experience and why it was inspired by the company formerly known as Dunkin’ Donuts.
The group will host several curated events and an exhibition of designer jewelry made with Peruvian gold traceable to the miners’ names.
The collection honors the 50th anniversary of Dolly Parton’s “Love is Like a Butterfly” song, which shares a birth year with Kendra Scott.
This year’s theme asks designers to take inspiration from classic fairy tales.
Senior Editor Lenore Fedow makes the case for why more jewelers should be appealing to nerds at the annual event.
The latest “Raiz’in” drop showcases a newly designed “Scapular” necklace and donates a portion of the proceeds to Make-A-Wish France.
No. 1 out of 100, the timepiece was created to mark Citizen’s 100th anniversary and will be auctioned off at Sotheby’s next month.
On the latest episode of “My Next Question,” two experts share best practices for store security during the holidays and year-round.