The store, located at 2615 Fifth Ave. S, made its debut in time for the holiday season on Nov. 11, according to Emma Bennitt, store manager.

Bennitt transferred from Kay Jewelers in Moline, Illinois, where she worked for about three years.

“I was offered the promotion and moved to Fort Dodge about a week later,” Bennitt said.

Bennitt embraced the opportunity to move up in the company.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Derek Sweeney, a store employee, reaches for some diamond fashion rings at the newly opened Kay Jewelers in Fort Dodge. Sweeney, of Manson, began working at the store when it opened Nov. 11.

“For me it was a huge step and I am sure for my team members that it has been a huge step in their careers as well,” Bennitt said.

According to Bennitt, the location of the store couldn’t be better.

“This strip right here is prime location,” she said. “It’s the center of attention.”

The 1,710-square-foot building sat vacant before Kay Jewelers moved in. Prior to that, a UPS store was housed there.

The store’s entrance can be accessed along Fifth Avenue South. The doors are on the north side of the store.

Bennitt said the store will be a benefit to local shoppers who ordinarily would have had to travel to Ames to find the nearest Kay store.

The Fort Dodge shop employs seven people.

The hottest item in jewelry remains the Ever Us ring.

“It has been the biggest seller for the past year,” Bennitt said. “It has two diamonds in the ring. It’s perfect for engagements, promise rings or anniversary bands.”

The rings come in all different sizes.

“You can match them up with earrings, necklaces, bracelets,” Bennitt said. “There are different styles to match any guest’s needs.”

Kay is known for Neil Lane, Tolkowsky and Leo diamonds, according to Bennitt.

“Leo is visibly the brightest diamond,” she said. “I love the sparkle of the Leos.”

Watches, pocket watches, rings, bands, pearls, gemstones, earrings and bracelets are among the many jewelry options at Kay.

“The possibilities are endless, especially with our custom design,” Bennitt said.

Every piece is unique, according to Bennitt.

“With custom design, we draw up a piece and you are actually along for the whole process,” she said. “We draw up that piece that you would like. It gets sent to our design and service center. There you would get a CAD image of what your piece will look like. Then it becomes a wax mold and from there the piece is casted and it’s yours. Nobody else has it.”

Bennitt said it’s the happiness of guests that drives her passion.

“It’s the smile on the guests’ face when they get that piece back from repair to make it look brand new again,” Bennitt said. “It’s the tears of happiness when the engagement ring is bought or the wedding bands are purchased. When the ladies come back after receiving that special piece and need that piece sized. Or when they come back from their six month inspection and tell you how much they love the piece that you helped their significant other pick out. It’s just a really good feeling.”

Bennitt said Kay tries to appeal to everyone.

“We have a little bit of something for everybody,” she said. “We want to be everyone’s jeweler and we are the No. 1 jeweler in America and we live up to that name.”

Kay Jewelers is headquartered in Akron, Ohio.

Kay is owned by the parent company, Signet Jewelers Ltd., which is the largest specialty retail jeweler in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, according to information on the company’s website.

Signet, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, runs more than 3,500 stores under the name brands of Kay Jewelers, Zales, Jared The Galleria Of Jewelry, H.Samuel, Ernest Jones, Peoples and Piercing Pagoda.