In The NYC Gold Scene, Tommy Jewels Is An Original

An attraction for both locals and tourists, Chinatown has a reputation for being the one-stop neighborhood to scoop a wide variety of goods. Everything from cheap eats to fine jewelry and everything in between can be found on or just off Canal St., and it’s on the Centre St. intersection where Tommy’s family first planted their shop nearly four decades ago.

Purveying gold and other fine jewelry in the downtown Manhattan area is a family tradition that goes back thirty-five years, to be exact. It was always a family business, and although Tommy admits he had different professional aspirations as a student, he eventually found himself carrying on the family legacy — but with some key updates to better suit the needs of the modern consumer.

The entire business was done in-store with customers who walked in the store, but with the growth of social media came a growth in opportunity. “I remember posting my first picture on Instagram…and almost immediately I was getting offers through DM”. He recalls that his first ever “internet” transaction was done through Western Union payments. He didn’t have any other means to accept funds, but recalls his grandmother sending money back to the motherland using Western Union. “Eventually I had to set up a legit PayPal because the lady at the pharmacy probably thought I was doing something illegal.”