Walt's Jewelers' origins began in the 1950s. H. Walt Odom, "Walt", was a copper miner working for Phelps Dodge Copper Company in Ajo, Arizona. In an effort to alter his life and live the "American Dream", Walt took an interest learning how to repair watches. His teacher was the pastor of the local church where Walt attended. The pastor's name was D.M. Graf, a German watchmaker who had learned watch repair from an uncle in Germany. Walt, his wife, Shirley, and their two children moved to San Manuel, Arizona where Walt worked for Magma Copper Company.
In 1956, Walt decided to open a small jewelry store that he called Walt's Jewel Box. The store was located in Mammoth, Arizona. Six years later, in 1962, Walt left the mining industry and opened a second location 30 miles from Mammoth in the newly developed town called Kearny. The stores' names were changed to Walt's Jewelers. Approximately one year later, Walt, Shirley and their three children moved to Kearny and closed the Mammoth store.
Walt's Jewelers in Kearny was a family owned business, so Walt and Shirley would work the store and their five year old son, "Sammy", had the responsibility of sweeping the floor and dumping the trash cans.
When Samuel was 12 years old, he became responsible for the jewelry store's engraving. Samuel worked in the store throughout his high school years. Sam worked along side his father, Walt, and in 1975 started purchasing the business.
In 1984, Sam decided to move the store to Chandler, Arizona. Walt's Jewelers Inc. was located on the southwest corner of Ray and Alma School Roads, in Chandler, Arizona, for approximately 16 years. In 2000, Sam & Melissa Odom decided to move the store to the northwest corner of Ray and Alma School Roads. In December of 2007, after 23 years of Walt's Jewelers being located on Alma School and Ray Roads, the decision was made to move the store to Gilbert & Germann Roads, our current location in Gilbert, Arizona.
Walt's Jewelers is still owned and operated by Samuel and his wife, Melissa.
