Rada and Matthew Burdeen love a good story.

They love hearing stories of first love and fairy tale endings and happy marriages that have lasted through an onslaught of trials and tribulations. And yes, it’s these stories that make them love to walk through the doors of Burdeen’s Jewelry every single day.

“We are so fortunate to be in this industry,” explains co-owner Rada Burdeen. “Every customer who walks in here is here because they are celebrating something, and we are honored to play a little part in that celebration.”

Indeed, the stories that make up the fabric of the second-generation business are certainly increasing in numbers these days, along with everything else at the store. Recently having gone through a renovation that added 3,000 square feet to the existing structure, Burdeen’s Jewelry finds itself once again in a state of constant expansion—and for good reason.

You see, throughout the long history of Burdeen’s, Rada and Matthew have always looked to their customers for insight as to what would add to their experience at the well-known jewelry store. And in recent years, this insight has led to many changes within the store, including a massive expansion of the store’s bridal department along with the creation of the store’s pre-owned department.

“We have been so fortunate to be able to both grow and expand our business throughout the years thanks to our loyal customers,” explains Rada about the business, which originally opened in a humble 600 square foot store back in 1983. “As a second-generation business, our customers are growing up and their needs are changing. And at the same time, our existing customers are bringing in new generations into the store. There is nothing we love more than the relationship we build with a customer, whether it’s their first time here or tenth time here.”

With such a broad clientele that seems to be growing with each passing day, it’s of vital importance that the Burdeen’s staff stays up with the latest trends in jewelry, which currently includes everything from colored stones to long necklaces to mixed metals. “We will be travelling to the spring show in Switzerland soon,” Rada mentions. “We love going through all the pieces while we decide what pieces and trends we can bring back here. In fact, our antique and estate department came to be after our trips overseas and has really taken off.”

In addition to being authorized dealers for many of the world’s most exclusive and newest timepieces, Burdeen’s Jewlery also sees much success with their pre-owned department.

“We have a ton of watch connoisseurs who come in who quickly become watch collectors themselves. Men in particular seem to always be in the market for four to five watches that they continue to mix back and forth.”

Burdeen’s Jewelry is also dedicated to its bridal customers, ensuring that the experience of purchasing the pieces that will make up one’s special day is a pleasant one.

“The search for bridal jewelry is such a special one,” Rada says. “It all starts with an appointment with a sales professional where everyone can sit down with a glass of champagne or a cup of coffee and get comfortable. What’s really important is that we educate them about their purchase and help them realize that we can pretty much customize anything they have their heart set on. We often say that every answer to a customer should be ‘no problem,’ because we truly can figure it out in the back. Any sale is special to us, but a sale that becomes the start of a new business relationship is wonderful.”

Of course, as jewelry trends most certainly will continue to evolve in the coming years, one thing will not change—and that is Burdeen’s commitment to the customers. “We pride ourselves with having sales people that are not only highly trained, but also just love selling and working with people,” Rada says. “That’s so important.”

Burdeen’s Jewelry is located at 1151 W. Lake Cook Road in Buffalo Grove, 800-656-0414, burdeens.com.