T-R PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY From left to right, Hellberg’s Jewelers owner Vic Hellberg, his daughter Erika Lindblom and granddaughter Summer Lindblom pose for a photo below portraits of the first three generations to operate the long-running Marshalltown store on Friday afternoon. Summer Lindblom, who recently completed schooling at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), now marks the sixth generation of the family to be involved in the business.

Keeping it in the family is important at Hellberg’s Jewelers, the beloved and longstanding downtown establishment that was founded by William Hellberg in 1898. Owners Vic and Gayle Hellberg, the fourth generation to operate the store, are excited to announce that their granddaughter Summer Lindblom is joining the team as a graduate jeweler on a full-time basis, and they held a special welcoming event for her throughout the day on Friday.

Lindblom, a native of Marion and Class of 2023 Linn-Mar High School graduate, is the daughter of Erika and Kevin Lindblom, both Marshalltown High School alums themselves. Because Erika, Vic and Gayle’s daughter, has been working at the store for the last several years, Summer, who recently completed seven months of schooling at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in Carlsbad, Calif., will now mark the sixth generation of the Hellberg family to be involved in the business.

Vic told the T-R that he has consistently heard words of support and encouragement from community members who hope to see the store continue well into the future, so news that Summer was interested in joining the team came as a pleasant surprise. Originally, she said she planned to study veterinary science, but extended internships at Hellberg’s in the summers following her grandpa and asking him questions sparked her interest in the jewelry business.

“I really liked the store, and I liked the history. And I liked walking through the store and seeing everybody and everybody coming in and getting their jewelry and being so happy. I just thought that that was great,” she said.

The year Summer graduated from high school, she presented her grandparents a framed picture of Vic placing a ring on her tiny ring finger just after she was born, and the more she thought about it, the more she realized jewelry was in her blood. And though she didn’t grow up here herself, she’s already developed a deep connection to the Marshalltown community.

“I love it. Everyone’s so nice, and I love seeing everybody,” she said. “I just love the small town where everybody knows stuff. It’s so fun.”

Erika and Kevin are proud of their daughter’s decision, and Erika pointed to a research paper Summer wrote on William Hellberg that helped the entire family learn more about the founder and his love for Marshalltown. Erika, who had previously been a stay-at-home mom, got involved with Hellberg’s herself about three or four years ago helping with appraisals, and she consistently heard customers pleading with her father not to retire.

“I can’t tell you how many people have come in and shook a finger at me and said ‘Don’t you dare quit working because I’ve got an anniversary coming up next year that’s important, and I’m gonna be in,'” Vic said.

Marshalltown customers can rest assured that one of the community’s longest-running family-owned businesses will continue into the future in capable hands. Hellberg’s is located at 13 W. Main St.

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Contact Robert Maharry at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or

rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.