About Us

Our humble beginning began in 1933 during the Great Depression. Maurice ‘Maury’ Adams, at age 14, began working as an apprentice to a local Jeweler in York, to help support his family. He started out sweeping and cleaning the store and gradually; was taught and mastered all the skills necessary to become a master jeweler himself. In 1946 he and his wife Elizabeth ‘Libby’ started their own store in the living room of their row house on W. Maple St. In late 1950, Maury and Libby relocated their store to the corner of S. George St and Maple St. Their younger son George Adams would eventually attend the Bowman School of Watch Making, where he became a watch maker.

In 1970, George Adams took over his father’s business which at the time was located on Maple St, then in 1972 moved the business to Beaver St. In 1976, George and his wife Rose Adams decided to move out of York city and open a new store in the Haines Acres Shopping Center. George tragically died in 1979, suffering from the effects of Agent Orange, which he had come in contact with while he served in Vietnam. Rose Adams after suffering the loss of her husband, decided she would continue the family’s business and keep George’s dream alive for her two young boys. Rose Adams with the help of her father in-law, Maurice, was able to learn and grow the business over the next 30 years.

In 2001, Rose and George’s oldest son, Joseph Adams, decided to start working in the family business. Joseph had years of sales and business experience and also became a GIA Certified Graduate Gemologist on top of his bachelor’s degree in Geology / Environmental Earth Sciences. In 2005, Joseph Adams took over the role of managing Adams Jewelers from his mother. In 2016, Joseph moved the store from Haine Acres after 40 years to the store's latest location in the Queensgate Town Center.