MOUNT VENON — After 37 years in business in downtown Mount Vernon, Rundell Goldsmiths will be closing its downtown store.
The original name of the business when it opened in 1973 was Silver Cove with a small shop on East High Street off Public Square. After a while the name was changed to Rundell Designers in Silver and Gold. In 1986, Fred and Diane Rundell moved to their present location on South Main Street, and changed the name again. Soon, Rundell Goldsmiths will no longer be a downtown presence.
The story of the Rundells goes back even farther than the opening of the Silver Cove, however. The story began 40 years ago when two young teachers went on a blind date.
“I was teaching and Fred was still doing his student teaching in Galion,” Diane said. “We met through my aunt, who fixed us up.”
Fred was teaching business and Diane was teaching art. That turned out to be a fortuitious combination. Although it might seem to be a strange pairing, an art major and a business major, it worked out, personally and professionally — art without a good business model usually doesn’t make any money.
They fell in love and two years later they were married.
“We got married in 1970,” said Diane. “We started making jewelry in 1971 and opened our business in 1973. Fred kept teaching for two more years because we didn’t want to really rely on just our business for our income.”
Originally they planned for Fred to keep teaching for another three years, but the business became too successful. Fred left teaching in 1975 to devote his full time to the venture, and never looked back. Although he had no background in art, Fred mastered the skills needed to produce the objects Diane designed, as well as keeping track of the business side of things.
Rundell Goldsmiths developed a loyal following of repeat customers over the years, and continued to pick up new clients. The Rundells usually had as much work as they needed and could handle.
But a successful business can be a lot of work and take up a lot of time, so after 37 years, the Rundells decided it was time to retire, something they had been thinking about for several years.
“it will be 38 years in August,” said Fred. “I haven’t had much time for my fly fishing, my sports car or traveling.”
“I have two little nieces right now,” Diane said, “so I can do some sewing and make great little things for them.”
Diane also wants to spend some time doing something that, for her, is new: Encaustic painting.
“It’s painting you do in hot wax,” she explained. “I thought it kind of related to what I do here. I’ve tried it a little bit. I’ve experimented with it and I like it. You have to paint and then use a kind of heat gun that you use to seal the surface. You let that harden, and then you go on and add more layers. It’s real interesting.”
Both the business and the Rundells themselves will be missed by the downtown community.
“They will certainly be missed,” said Lynn Ricard, downtown manager for the Heritage Centre Association. “I wish them well and I know how much they love to travel. It’s exciting for them to be entering another great phase of their lives.
“There are a lot of great things happening downtown and I feel confidant that something great will end up going in there. But they won’t be forgotten.”
Carol Grubaugh, executive director of the Mount Vernon-Knox County Chamber of Commerce, echoes those feelings.
“We hate to see any business close,” she said. “They’ve been a part of downtown for many years and their workmanship has been outstanding. We certainly wish the Rundells the best in their retirement and they certain;y deserve it. And you know what? They certainly have left an impression on the county. It is a loss, but you always hope some one will fill that void.
“They have always been wonderful supporters of the community and we hope they will still have a presence in the county and we can see them at functions and around the community,” she added.
