Lednum’s marks 70th year; Jewelry store holding church food drive

Lednum’s marks 70th year; Jewelry store holding church food drive
By Erin Mahn, Daily Banner
Newszap Maryland, MD

CAMBRIDGE — Lednum’s Jewelers celebrates 70 years of being part of downtown Cambridge this year by collecting more than 386 pounds of nonperishables in a food drive for Zion United Methodist Church on Zion Street.

“The food drive is to help the needy in our community,” said Marjorie Lednum, the wife of owner and president Charles N. Lednum, Jr. “We hope to double this by the end of our food drive.”

Since the Lednum family first opened the jewelry store in 1937, the business has steadily grown. The jewelry store provides fine jewelry and watches, as well as gifts, jewelry repairs and appraisals, remounting of customer’s stones and custom work.

While the business has grown, the same family service hasn’t changed. Lednum’s Jeweler’s is still community-oriented.

Charles N. Lednum, Jr. has kept the same standard of jewelry and service his father, C. Noble Lednum had.

Mr. Lednum, known to his friends as Chip, began learning the family business by working after school for his parents as office help. After high school, he attended Goldey Beacom School of Business in Wilmington, Del., where he graduated with a junior ABA degree. He later attended the Bowman Technical School of Watchmaking in Lancaster, Pa. and graduated with a degree in watchmaking, repair and stone setting in November 1962.

Mr. Lednum spent two years on active duty in the Navy and during that time, married Marjorie May Snyder of Lancaster.

With his wife by his side, Mr. Lednum returned to Cambridge and began working in the family business

After his father died in 1966, Mr. Lednum became vice president of the corporation that he and his mother, Esther J. Lednum set up. Mrs. Lednum passed away in December 1977, and Mr. Ledum’s wife, Marjorie, came into the business full-time.

Since Mr. and Mrs. Lednum’s partnership, the business has expanded. Both are members of Jewelers of America and Mr. Lednum is a registered jeweler with the American Gem Society.

Lednum’s also belongs to the Independent Jewelers Organizations, the largest buying group of independent retail jewelry in the world.

“As a master hjeweler with IJO, we can buy jewelry at group discounted rates and pass these savings on,” Mrs. Lednum said. IJO not only allows Lednum’s to buy more wisely, but also to assist customers in making better decisions in their selection of fine jewelry.

The Lednums are continuing their tradition as a family business with their son, Charles III who has been active in the business since 1992.

“Lednum’s Jewelers is proud to have been a part of downtown Cambridge for the past 70 years,” Mrs. Lednum said.

“We’ve participated in local activities such as the chamber of commerce, downtown business associations over the years and more recently Cambridge Main Street, trying to help build up the downtown.”

In appreciation of the community’s support over the past decades, the Lendums are using their 70th anniversary sale to show thanks for the great support, Mrs. Lednum said.

“Not only is this helping us reduce our large inventory, bit it’s a way for our customers to benefit in purchasing jewelry for themselves or as gifts for Christmas and such at a great savings,” Mrs. Lednum said.