Among the thousands of loyal customers over the decades at the Simmons and Clark jewelry store, now celebrating its 100th anniversary on Broadway across from the Detroit Opera House, perhaps none has been more famous than legendary Detroit Tigers slugger Hank Greenberg. The Hall of Famer is pictured here (left) in 1937 purchasing a solid-gold Benrus watch from the store’s co-founder Fred Simmons.
Lured by the Motor City’s booming economy, Simmons moved to Detroit in 1920 and worked in sales for Friedberg Jewelers, where he created thousands of accounts by pioneering in-house financing at $1-down and $1-a-week credit terms, making luxury jewelry and watches accessible to everyone.
In 1925, Simmons and fellow employee Harry Clark each invested $5,000 and opened Simmons and Clark in a spot that is now the store’s parking lot. Ten years later, they moved next door to 1535 Broadway, where the business continues today as the oldest full-service fine jewelry store in Detroit. It has survived the Great Depression, recessions, a three-decade downturn in downtown shopping, and the recent pandemic.
Besides selling jewelry and watches, for decades the store sold radios, luggage, sewing machines, and other items, but discontinued those goods in the 1970s to concentrate on its jewelry line and giftware. For years, Detroiters heard the radio tagline voiced by Martha Jean “The Queen” Steinberg: “Get on your mark, go to Simmons and Clark, where you shop in the dark for diamonds that spark.”
During a 2017 renovation, the original 1930s showcases and woodwork hidden by cladding were discovered, and they’re now part of a beautiful 2,600-square-foot interior that includes three modern chandeliers featuring Simmons and Clark advertisements from the 1930s to 1950s. The art deco storefront is still topped with its iconic, brightly lit 73-year-old neon sign containing a Bulova clock that, like the store, is a treasured Detroit landmark.
Harry Clark died in 1966, while Fred Simmons worked at the store until age 94 before dying in 2002. His son George worked there until age 93, and today, it is run by George’s son Michael, who is confident that a fourth-generation family member will one day take over.
This story originally appeared in the December 2025 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Click here to get our digital edition.
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