Our Stores History

Stanley Edward Coomber (Stan) and Ronald Alexander Coomber (Ron) were the sons of Edward Coomber, a Jeweller of Petrie Blight in Brisbane. They learnt their trade whilst working in their father’s business.  After the death of their mother and the later remarriage of their father, it appears they decided there may not have been a secure future for them in the business, and that it would be better for them to venture out on their own. 

In 1919 they purchased their own Jewellery business from Fraser Edminston with a loan of two hundred pounds from their father.  At the time of their departure for Roma, Stan and his wife Mary had four children, Stan (Jnr), Marie and twins Jean and Joan.  They later had two more, Eddie and Cyril.

As the business prospered, Ron and his wide Evelyn moved further west to Charleville to start a branch of the business there.  A few years later, however, they sold this business and moved to The Summit near Stanthorpe where they became orchardists.

Stan and Mary stayed in Roma and raised their 6 children, all of whom worked in the shop for a time. Jean, Joan and Marie all worked as sales assistants until they married and Marie continued to work for some years after she married.  Joan’s husband George Raper, worked in the business as a watchmaker for most of his working life.  Stan moved to Bundaberg where he had a watchmaking business.  Cyril was a skilled hand-engraver and remained in the business until he was unable to work due to a brain tumour.  Eddie stayed on to make the business his life time endeavour.

Over the years the business grew into a small department store with jewellery, watches, china and giftware alongside sporting good, bicycles, radios and electrical goods.  As other businesses established to specialise in these goods, however, it reverted to a specialist jewellery store in the late 1980s.

Eddie’s wife Tess worked in the business with him after the other family members had left, and their son Bob joined the business in 1963, after training with a jeweller in Brisbane. Bob married a member of staff Carolyn Robert.

Bob decided that since none of his family wished to carry on in the business, and since he wished to pursue other interests, the time had come to sell and in 1995.

The store was then sold again in 2007 to the present owners Carol & Gary Schefe.