In the fall of 1906 a young man helped an older man across the street.  He offered to share his umbrella during a rain storm and afterward they shared a cup of coffee in a nearby restaurant.  The older gentleman was Fred Widmann, a Mitchell, SD businessman and immigrant, and the younger man was Gustaf Woelfel.  Gustaf, a cuckoo clock maker in Germany’s black forest, ended up going back to America, marring Mr. Widmann’s Daughter Bertha, opening a jewelry store in the Widmann Hotel and having 4 children with Bertha.  One of the children was Fred Woelfel, who was born in an apartment over the jewelry store.  Fred stayed in the business with his wife VonDeane until their retirement.  Their daughter Doris married Bull Jamison and they started in the store in 1972 and eventually bought the store in 1981.  Today their son Bradley runs the store and they are still active in its operations.  Daughter Paige works in the store part time.  Brad and Donna, who have been active in the store, have 2 children, Kari and Chase.  Kari works during Christmas, and chase is just starting out.  Gustaf, Fred, Bill, and Brad have along with their spouses, been active in the Mitchell community since our Main Street was mud!

Various enterprises have spun off from the arrangement; Jackpot Gamblin, Woelfel’s Gift World, B & D Auto Mart, and the Uptown Park beside the Woelfel Jewelry Store.  A couple of years ago Woelfel Jewelry was awarded a national 1^st place award for TOMA, Top of Mind Awareness, meaning that your store is the first store in your field in your shopping area.  They then compare your store with others areas nationwide.

Although Woelfel’s itself and various members of Woelfel Jewelry’s staff have been super active in many of the area’s organizations, we feel that our biggest accomplishment is the level of service we’ve been able to maintain through the generations, and the quality of life of our employees and their families.