Gary Youngberg didn’t need college to get him where he is today.

“It just kind of happened,” Youngberg, owner of Ames Silversmithing, said of his 33-year-old business.

Before opening up shop, Youngberg was attending college at the University of Iowa. However, he said he hated college and Iowa City, so his wife, Karen — who was his girlfriend at the time — convinced him to move to Ames.

“I liked the town much better, but I still hated college,” Gary said. “I decided college is not for me.”

He said he initially started making jewelry for his wife.

“I was going to buy her a little doo-dad for Valentine’s Day,” Gary said.

He chose to make her something instead, and her friends encouraged him to continue making jewelry.

He began selling his pieces to sororities, and his informal business continued to grow.

“I taught myself young and thought I should try a business,” he said.

At the age of 19, with $1,500 in his savings account, Gary opened Ames Silversmithing.

“As I look back, I’d say it probably took eight to 10 years to know we were going to succeed,” he said, “but I never thought about failing.”

Gary said that when Ames Silversmithing started, he sold mostly “Indian-looking designs,” including pendants and turquoise beads.

Now, the pieces he sells are “more expensive, more diversified and being sold at a higher volume.”

They include precious stones and metals, and there are currently four people employed who design and make all of the jewelry they sell.

“Most stores are just selling something another store made,” Gary said.

He added that their customer service also sets them apart from other stores.

“We spend about 30 minutes to an hour educating people on our pieces,” he said. “If we don’t do that, we’re just another store.”

He said their assistance helps people feel more comfortable spending a large amount of money.

“People appreciate our help, and they want to learn,” Gary said.

While Gary said all of his employees are like family, some of them actually are. Both of his sons chose to join the family business.

Kyle, a Kansas alumnus who earned a degree in business, and Kirk, who went to Luther for a few years and, like his father, decided college was “not my cup of tea,” made the decisions to return to Ames and contribute to their parents’ successful company.

“They saw what Karen and I started, and they’ve been involved with the business since they were toddlers,” Gary said.

He added that the benefits of working with family far outweigh the challenges. “It worked out because my sons are best friends,” he said.

Over the years, Ames Silversmithing has gained followers.

“Early on, I would sleep at my desk and hope a customer walked through the door,” Gary said.

Kyle said they now see 30 to 40 customers every day.

Gary said he is now seeing new generations of families visit his store.

“Being involved in big events in people’s lives is pretty cool,” he said.

Ames Silversmithing is located at 220 Main Street and is open Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Thursdays until 7 p.m. and Sundays by appointment.