By Donald Wittkowski
Jeff Sherman, a centerfielder who batted cleanup, was the good baseball player. Sam Koperwas, a second baseman mired at the bottom of the batting order, was the not-so-good player.
Despite the disparity in their athletic skill, the two Little Leaguers who grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., formed a friendship that continues today in their late 60s.
Their relationship also includes a business partnership that began in 1972 on a lark. They, admittedly, knew nothing about the business world when they opened their Henry’s jewelry store on the Ocean City Boardwalk.
Yet these two former Little League teammates hit the proverbial homerun with Henry’s, now an iconic name at the Jersey Shore.
Their flagship store has been a fixture at 1236 Boardwalk for 44 years. It was joined by a new sister store at Ninth Street and the Boardwalk over the summer. There is also a third Henry’s store at the Washington Street Mall in Cape May.
“It’s worked well for us,” the 68-year-old Koperwas said of his partnership with Sherman, who turns 68 on Nov. 22. “We always say that we grew up with our customers.”
Saleswomen Marianne D'Elia, left, and Kate Harris greet customers at a jewelry counter.
Over the past 40-plus years, they have served multiple generations of customers. Oftentimes, they see customers whose parents or grandparents originally patronized the store, Koperwas noted.
Henry’s bills itself as the “Landmark Jeweler” for Ocean City and Cape May, a title that reflects its stature in the community and longtime relationship with customers.
Although Sherman and Koperwas lacked any serious business acumen when they first opened Henry’s, they did have enough sense to develop a simple strategy that remains effective today, Koperwas explained.
They decided to sell well-made jewelry at affordable prices, offer outstanding customer service and earn the confidence of the local community.
Solidifying its reputation, Henry’s has been named one of America’s top 50 designer jewelers by JCK, a national trade publication for the jewelry industry.
A jewelry display case is marked with a sign that touts Henry's four decades in business.
The name Henry’s was inspired by a cigar store Indian statue given to Koperwas and Sherman by some of their friends while they were still debating what to call their business. Their friends had dubbed the statue “Henry.” The statue, about 6 feet tall, remains an iconic piece of the store at 1236 Boardwalk.
Sherman and Koperwas started out selling Native American jewelry. As fashion trends evolved, the store transitioned into silver, gold, diamond and other types of bling.
What hasn’t changed is Henry’s approach toward customers. Koperwas stressed that Henry’s evokes a relaxed, inviting atmosphere that reflects the casual beach and Boardwalk crowds in Ocean City and Cape May.
“People stroll in dressed in bathing suits and flip-flops and can still buy a $10,000 diamond necklace,” Koperwas said.
He joked that at the more formal jewelry stores, “the salesperson is better dressed than you.”
Henry’s is the exclusive retailer in Ocean City and Cape May for the Pandora and Alex and Ani jewelry lines. In addition to jewelry, the store also sells casual apparel.
The store layout reflects a casual, relaxing atmosphere that caters to Ocean City's beach and boardwalk crowds.
While many seashore businesses close down after the peak summer tourism season, Henry’s stays open year-round. However, the store at Ninth Street has closed temporarily while work continues on the reconstruction of the Ocean City Boardwalk in that area.
Koperwas said the approaching Christmas shopping season will provide a boost in business and also gives Henry’s another opportunity to reconnect with its local customers.
Henry’s also reaches beyond its local customer base through its website and Facebook page. Koperwas said the Facebook page not only serves as a marketing tool for Henry’s, it also promotes community events in Ocean City and Cape May.
This week, the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce recognized Henry’s with its “Outstanding Use of Technology Award” for the store’s social media presence.
Social media, of course, did not exist when Sherman and Koperwas conceived of Henry’s in the early 1970s. They launched their business with a $10,000 investment and a dream.
Looking back on those years, Koperwas said both of them felt at the time that having a Boardwalk business “was a good excuse to come to the Jersey Shore.”
“We decided that we would lose some money together or possibly make some.”
Well, it’s obvious now that the two former Little Leaguers have indeed hit a homerun.
While many Boardwalk businesses close down after the peak summer season, Henry's remains open year-round.
