For more than a century, Wimmer’s Diamonds has been helping the Fargo-Moorhead community celebrate some of life’s biggest moments. Now, with a new showroom that’s as glamorous as the gems themselves, this fourth-generation family business is celebrating the beginning of a new era.

 

When Hungarian immigrant and craftsman Fred Wimmer opened the doors to Fargo Jewelry Manufacturing Co. in 1919, he never could have imagined the ways that his little shop, or the jewelry industry as a whole, would evolve in the century to come. 

The business shifted its focus from manufacturing to retail with the next generation, beginning an enduring legacy of hand-selecting the highest quality fine jewelry and providing exceptional service and support. This is the business that Aaron Wimmer, Fred’s great-grandson, learned as a young child.

Wimmer grew up watching his father and uncle, who operated Wimmer’s Diamonds’ flagship storefront in downtown Fargo and second location in West Acres shopping mall. He watched as trends changed, as demand for diamonds ebbed and flowed, and as the downtown Fargo community evolved around them.

When it came time for Wimmer to take over the family business, he knew it was time for Wimmer’s Diamonds to change, too–starting with location. To give the business a fresh start, Wimmer decided to consolidate the two locations and relocate to a single showroom in south Fargo.

“I wanted to streamline things,” Wimmer said. “I wanted to have our team and inventory under one roof.”

”I don't think that I’ve really stopped to look at this beautiful new store to take it all in until now, it’s certainly an honor to be able to carry on my family's legacy.

Aaron Wimmer

But consolidating into one location was only the first step. In order to compete with the ever-growing online market, Wimmer knew that this showroom would have to be unlike anything Wimmer’s Diamonds had built before. 

“Anything that you need in this day and age you can buy online, even jewelry,” he said. “The experience is the one thing you cannot ever get when you’re buying online. We need to create a positive experience from the moment they walk in the door.”

To achieve this, Wimmer enlisted help from InterOffice. Workspace Experts Melissa LaBay and Jolynn Kaldor worked with Wimmer to select all furniture and finishes, from floor to ceiling. 

The focal point of the space is a lounge area that his team uses for private client consultations. Wimmer wanted to create an environment that is as welcoming as it is luxurious; a space that says diamonds can truly be anyone’s best friend. 

“The industry has made diamonds and jewelry seem stuffy and unapproachable,” Wimmer said. “We wanted the showroom to feel warm and inviting, like we are inviting clients into our own home.”

Hidden from view of the main entry, the lounge feels more like a living room than a retail space. LaBay and Kaldor selected plush furnishings, including an OFS Heya High-Back Loveseat and Bistro Stools, in rich colors and fabrics.  

“Incorporating a variety of materials, finishes, and textures helps make the environment less commercialized and more homey,” LaBay said.

As an homage to the business’s early-20th century origins, LaBay proposed an unexpected Art Deco aesthetic for the entire showroom. 

“Wimmer’s is a fourth-generation family business that first opened during the Art Deco era,” LaBay said. “Plus, Art Deco style is characterized by jewel tones, luxurious materials, metal finishes, and geometric forms, which to me aligns well with jewelry.”

Touches of gold can be found at every turn, from the cabinet and drawer hardware to the glittering quartz countertops. LaBay and Kaldor selected a black wall covering emblazoned with an angular gold print that is reflected in the carpet. The wood-grain luxury vinyl tile is veined with gold, while candelabras glisten from the ceiling in key areas throughout the showroom. 

“Appropriate furniture and finishes helps, but lighting is the key element to achieve a cozy ambiance,” LaBay said.

The overall effect is a 1920s-inspired showroom that even Jay Gatsby himself would envy, and the finishing touch is a piece of Wimmer’s Diamonds’ history. An exterior door from one of the business’s original buildings is now inlaid in the wall and adorned with a lit picture of the old store. For Wimmer, it’s like literally peering into the past. 

“I don’t think that I’ve really stopped to look at this beautiful new store to take it all in until now,” Wimmer said. “It’s certainly an honor to be able to carry on my family’s legacy.”