WELCOME COMMITTEE: George Press and his wife, Cheryl, second from right, with their three daughters at the Livingston store.

Platinum and 18K yellow-gold bracelet and heart pendant with diamond accents by designer Michael Bondanza;

Sunshine earrings with a “bouquet” of amethyst, rose de France, turquoise, citrine, pearls, blue topaz, peridot, 1.22 carats of diamonds, and lemon-quartz drops.

18K yellow-gold Paradise necklace, from Marco Bicego’s Paradise collection, with semiprecious briolettes and diamonds;

Sunshine earrings set with amethyst, pink quartz, pink tourmaline, white pearls, and diamond accents with strands of removable pearls;

George Press Fine Jewelry is not your “cookie-cutter jewelry store.” You’ll find upscale lines such as Marco Bicego, Philip Stein, Tacori, and Scott Kay—and a warm environment. The shop, located in Livingston’s central shopping district, is distinguished by friendly touches—fresh flowers, a jar of jelly beans at the front door, and chocolates on the counter—that make patrons feel welcome.

“The level of jewelry we carry can be intimidating to a customer, so you really want to make it an inviting setting,” says George Press, who opened the store in 1980. He describes himself as president, owner, and proprietor. “I do everything. I get to sweep out front, I get to clean the bathrooms, everything,” he jokes.

The store is a family affair—Press’s wife Cheryl is CFO and during the holidays their daughters can be found behind the counters. “They all kind of grew up here,” says Press. “When they weren’t old enough to work the counter, they would hang out and do their best to charm the customers and be cute.”

George Press carries bridal collections, couture jewelry and timepieces, and custom designs created by Press. The store also does appraisals, repairs, and designs tailored to customers’ specifications.

“It’s really diverse. Sometimes I think it’s a fault of mine, trying to cater to everyone,” he says. “But we do everything and we carry the finest lines in the world.”

Carrying a broad range of goods has worked. Press sees a tremendous repeat-customer business and an expanding base of new clients, even in this economy.

“A lot of people go to work dreading it,” he says, adding, “I’m able to work doing what I love most.”