'Going strong': Farr's Jewelry, born of a family with deep roots in Ogden, marks its 70th year

OGDEN — For 70 years, Farr's Jewelry in Ogden — born of a family with deep roots in Ogden and Weber County — has served as the stopping place for many betrothed couples in search of wedding rings.

That's a long time in the business world, and company leadership on Monday marked the occasion, the operation's platinum jubilee anniversary, with a small celebration and ceremonial ribbon-cutting. Wedding sets are one of the business's backbones, though it sells jewelry for all occasions.

"For how businesses change and stuff, I think that's a pretty incredible run," said Mike Ash, the general manager of the jewelry store, which also sells cameras. "There's not a lot of people that hit that 70th ... and it's a platinum anniversary, which I think is a very nice tie-in to the jewelry as well."

Dirk Farr, vice president of the jewelry store and great-great-grandson of Lorin Farr, the first mayor of Ogden, touted the loyal customers who shop at the store and the employees over the years who have served them. He said competitive pricing and quality offerings have also helped, even as retail trends have morphed over the years.

"I just see it going forward. Things are going strong, and with jewelry, people still want to buy it from somebody where they can touch and hold it," Farr said. "Everybody looks online — 100% of the customers have looked online — but they want to come in and touch and feel and try it on and buy from somebody they trust."

The Farr name is well-known in Weber County. Lorin Farr served as mayor of Ogden from the city's founding in 1851 to 1870 and again from 1877 to 1878. His name now graces a city-owned swimming pool, and he's the namesake for the Farr portion of Farr West, a Weber County city founded in 1981.

Teaming with his son, Asael Farr — one of his 39 children — founded the firm in 1929 that would become Farr Better Ice Cream, which offers a multitude of flavors and regularly draws large crowds to its Ogden outlet. Vern Farr Jr., Dirk Farr's father and Asael Farr's grandson, founded Farr's Jewelry in July 1956, and, at 98, still owns the business.

"It gets confusing with all of them," Dirk Farr said. But the businesses — while coming from the same lineage and sharing the Farr name— are separate entities.

Chuck Leonhardt, the president and chief executive officer of the Ogden-Weber Chamber of Commerce, took part in Monday's ceremony. Seventy years in operation is a long time, he said, particularly for a Main Street-type business.

"We're just so proud to have you as a legacy business in Ogden, Utah," Leonhardt said. "You are what helps make Ogden what it is, so thank you and all of your employees for everything that you do."

Ash said the business has drawn successive generations of customers, a testament to the quality and fair prices of the goods it offers.

"We have people who had purchased their rings in the late 1950s and '60s, and then their kids have come in to purchase rings, and now their grandkids are coming in to purchase rings," Ash said.

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