Photo by Frank Couch.
Southeastern Jewelers
(L to R) Mike, Louis and David Steed at Southeastern Jewelers on Valleydale Road.
Louis Steed’s father-in-law worked in the jewelry business in the 1920s, inspiring him to venture into the same field.
Now an Inverness resident, Steed started his Birmingham business in the basement of a house in West End. In 1952, he opened Southeastern Jewelers in downtown Birmingham. His brother Frank Steed started working with him soon after.
“Dad would go out in mornings to the jewelers downtown and pick up work and take it back and do the repairs,” said his son, Mike Steed. “He was kind of like the jewelers’ jeweler.”
Mike Steed and Louis Steed’s other son, David, began learning the family business at a young age.
“When we were kids, we would go to work with Dad on the weekends and hang out at the store,” Mike Steed said. “He’d teach us little things. We learned it from the bottom up like most kids do in family businesses, like taking out trash and cleaning up. He taught us how to do hand engraving, jewelry repair and custom work.”
Southeastern Jewelers was at the downtown location for almost 40 years, until they relocated to the 280 Station shopping center in 1990. Along with the business, the Steed family moved to the area as well.
“We elected to move out to 280 because we saw it was a growing area of town,” Mike Steed said. “It was a good environment. We all migrated over to this side of town. David in Chelsea, Dad in Inverness and myself in Brook Highland.”
Fifteen years later, the business made another move to their current location on Valleydale Road in 2005. The large space features a retail showroom, along with a full service shop. The staff can do everything from sizing, pearl restringing and custom order work.
“There are very few things we don’t do in house,” Mike Steed said. “That’s a comfort level for customers, knowing their jewelry is not going in the mail to get repaired.”
He said one of the advantages of the business being around for so long is that their customers extend through generations of families.
“We are having grandsons come to buy engagement rings that my dad sold their grandfathers’ rings,” he said. “It’s great seeing third generations come in and buy from us. We try to treat people fair and honestly and have ethics and morals we adhere to.”
Besides just the two brothers, many other family members are employees at Southeastern Jewelers. Mike Steed’s wife and son work there, and both of his daughters come in and help when their schedules allow. David Steed’s wife and son work there as well.
Founder Louis Steed is now 87, but not completely retired. Mike Steed said he still comes in two to three times a week to check on things. Mike Steed said the rest of his staff is like family, and many of them have worked there for at least 25 years. Together, the employees have more than 300 years of combined experience.
Mike Steed said while he plans to retire at a much younger age than his father, he will continue to be involved in some capacity. He said he looks forward to passing the family business down to the next generation — his son, Tyler, and nephew, John David.
“I expect Southeastern Jewelers to continue on to the next generation and the one after if possible,” Mike Steed said.
He said the most rewarding part of the business is being involved in engagements, weddings, anniversaries and special events.
“We get to be a part of special occasions,” Mike Steed said. “The most rewarding part is knowing you can create something that will mark a lifetime moment.”
Southeastern Jewelers
- WHERE: 5299 Valleydale Road, Suite 111
- HOURS: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- CALL: 980-9030
- WEB: southeasternjewelers.net
