Meet the Horniks, a three-generation family with strong ties to Miracle Mile. The family owns Jae’s Jewelers and they are celebrating the 70th year in the business.
Family patriarch George Hornik, a Brooklyn native who moved to Miami in 1938 after serving in the Navy during World War II, founded Jae’s Jewelers in 1945. In 1956, George and his wife, Helena, moved their watch repairing business to Coral Gables to their first location on Ponce de Leon Boulevard where Giardino Salads is located today. Later they relocated to 237 Miracle Mile, where the store remains. Known by everyone as “Mr. and Mrs. Jae,” the couple was very active in the Coral Gables community.
George Hornik passed away 10 years ago, while Helena Hornik passed away last February. Their son, Bruce, joined the business in 1972 and is the store’s current owner. He has served on the Business Improvement District and the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce boards. He is a certified Graduate Gemologist and one of the most knowledgeable jewelers in the city.
Bruce is extremely dedicated to his customers and is proud to call many of them friends, as well. He is known to many as “Jae Jr.” Bruce’s passion and excitement for his job is contagious; he truly loves what he does. It is Bruce who is responsible for transitioning the store from simple watch repair to selling costume jewelry to the full-service fine jewelry establishment that it is today. Bruce and wife, Shelley, live happily in Coral Gables.
The family business has now entered into its third generation. Both of Bruce’s daughters, Jennifer and Jillian, went on to receive the Graduate Gemologist degrees at the Gemological Institute of America in Southern California.
Jennie married another graduate gemologist, who also has a longtime family business. She and her husband, Cec, split their time between Miami and Bozeman, MT, where their sister jewelry store is located. Jill stayed in California for six years, working for one of the largest independent jewelry stores in the country, but is now back at Jae’s Jewelers, and has served as the store manager for the past two years.
The Hornik family hopes to continue serving the local Coral Gables community for many generations to come.
