Upholding a reputation for dependable retail expertise that spans nearly four decades, a Mississippi family finds its niche in exquisite fine jewelry and exclusive estate pieces.
While the era of 1970s leisure suits gave way to denim and neon, young Chuck Cooper took a chance on a different fashion trend sweeping the market for men and women alike: gold chain necklaces. “I bought $1,100 worth of gold chains, put them on display at my family’s store, and went back to college,” he says. “When I came back, there was a drawer full of money, and I went to buy more.”
The transformation of Van Atkins from large-scale department store to specialty jeweler began in the early 1980s while Chuck was a pre-med student at the University of Mississippi. He often played golf on the weekends with his sweetheart’s boss, the owner of a jewelry shop. Eventually, he brought the man to his family’s department store in New Albany, Mississippi. Impressed by the consistent foot traffic, the businessman encouraged Chuck to dabble in the jewelry market by selling gold chains, one of the trendiest accessories at the time.
Before long, Chuck and his sweetheart, Rhonda, were married, and he had traded medical school for gemology training in California at the Gemologist Institute of America (GIA), the world’s leading authority on precious stones of all kinds.
Today, Van Atkins Jewelers is one of Mississippi’s most distinguished purveyors of fine jewelry, offering a vast selection of high-quality jewelry, from custom gifts and engagement rings to designer fashions. However, it’s most widely renowned for the Coopers’ stock and knowledge of rare estate jewelry. They happily appraise heirloom pieces and help family members divide inherited collections. In some cases, when families aren’t able or interested in keeping the jewelry, the Coopers acquire it for resale. “We tell them the piece has had a beautiful life already, and it’s about to start a new life,” says Chuck.
Selling candy in checkout lines as a boy and spending Christmas break on the sales floor of the men’s cologne department as a teenager, Chuck recognized and embraced his hereditary knack for retail service early in life. In 1959, his parents, Warren and Maudell Cooper, moved from Arkansas to the quaint town of New Albany, Mississippi, to open a new location of their family’s department store chain. First established by his uncles, Earl and Alvin VanHook, and successful business investor O.T. Atkins, the Cooper family business still pays homage to its founders despite its gradual transformation.
Just as Chuck garnered his retail passion from his business-savvy father and uncles, his four sons continue the Van Atkins legacy of excellent service. Following their father’s lead, Chuck’s two oldest sons, Van and Sam, are both GIA Graduate Gemologists. Van creates one-of-a-kind settings using computer design technology. He also runs the company’s new Oxford locale, which opened in September 2017. Sam shares his expertise and time between both shops. Jack, the youngest Cooper, also aspires to join the sales team and works when he’s home from college.
Living in Atlanta as a freelance designer for jewelry wholesalers, son Ray contributes to the family business with his talent for hand engraving, a fading art that requires masterful skill. Many people who wish to keep their estate treasures come to Van Atkins in the hopes of revitalizing them. Using a simple photo as his guide, Ray inscribes gold and silver with monograms or sentiments—even the unique signature of someone special—completely by hand. “Something we do really well is taking grandmother’s jewelry and repurposing it, breathing new life into it to create a new piece of jewelry that’s actually been passed down through the years,” says Rhonda.
Although a lot has changed since the early days of his family’s business, Chuck’s commitment to friendly service remains steadfast. All unable “to shake the retail bug,” as Chuck says, the Coopers aim to provide an enjoyable experience for every single customer—today, tomorrow, and 20 years from now. “In any business, you have to have a passion,” Chuck says. “And we really love this.”
For information, visit vanatkins.com.
By Ashley Shaw
Photography by Erin Austen Abbott
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