New Owners Carry the Torch at Goldworks in Old Town

ALEXANDRIA, VA — One of the things I like best about writing for Zebra is the incredible people and shop owners I meet who I might not have otherwise.

Adam Stayer and Daniel Mansour, who officially took ownership of Goldworks from longtime owner David Martin in January 2026, are exactly the kind of people you want to know, and would trust to work on your most precious valuables.

Stayer is an Army veteran, and Mansour comes from a family of jewelers. Within just a few moments of talking with them and watching them interact with a steady flow of customers, I knew all I needed to know about their expertise, professionalism and passion not only for jewelry and watches, but for making their clients happy.

I asked, and yes, they do offer a military discount, and might even extend that to the grandchildren of those who served.

Goldworks has long been part of the fabric of Old Town, a place where customers could bring in a watch that stopped ticking, a broken piece of jewelry or an idea for something entirely new. Now, the quintessential King Street business has new owners who intend to preserve that neighborhood character while bringing new life to the shop.

While chatting with me, Stayer told me that longtime customers have specifically asked them not to ruin the character of the store with a sleek, modern remodel. They like seeing the workbenches and the jewelers at work.

Original owner David Martin opened Goldworks at 1400 King Street in 1990. After 36 years in business, he was looking for someone he could trust to take over. At the same time, Stayer and Mansour were looking to make the transition from Belle View Jewelers into a shop of their own.

In December 2025, the three reached an agreement, and the transfer was completed the following month. On occasion, Martin can still be seen popping in to say hello, or wondering if perhaps he might have left something behind in a forgotten drawer.

For the new owners, taking over Goldworks was about more than acquiring a storefront.

“We saw a wonderful opportunity to revive Goldworks and to reconnect with the city and ultimately carry the torch forward, while honoring David, a living legend in Old Town,” they said.

Martin’s imprint on Old Town extends well beyond Goldworks. He helped champion the banners and twinkling tree lights that now stretch along King Street and even designed the ceremonial medallion worn by Alexandria’s mayor. His contributions to the city earned him recognition as a Living Legend of Alexandria in 2013.

That history is important to Stayer and Mansour, but so is keeping Goldworks a working jewelry shop rather than turning it into a conventional retail showroom.

Walk into the store today and one of the first things you’ll notice is the three visible workstations, where jewelry and watch repairs are performed in-house. There is something reassuring about being able to see the people who are actually going to work on the things you have entrusted to them.  Personally, I LOVE seeing someone’s desk and crafting tools.

The shop continues to provide the services Goldworks has historically been known for, including jewelry and watch repair, restoration and custom jewelry. Customers can bring in rings, earrings and other pieces to be repaired or restored, or work directly with the jewelers to create something entirely new.

While I was visiting, a client who had come over from Capitol Hill had her stunning, large yellow-diamond engagement ring cleaned and dropped off a pair of her mother’s gold hoop earrings for repair. Her mother lives in Georgia.

The beautiful blond told me the trip across the bridge was worth it, and in Georgia, she simply didn’t have anyone she trusted enough with her mother’s treasures.

Goldworks also maintains a limited selection of jewelry and watches for sale, but Stayer told me he particularly likes a challenge. He is one of the people clients come to when they can’t source a Rolex or another hard-to-find watch anywhere else. He likes the challenge of delivering the unexpected, or seemingly impossible.

I told him I had just been talking with a friend who wanted to buy his girlfriend a special watch for their upcoming anniversary. Was that something he could help with?

Absolutely, Stayer said, and if Goldworks wasn’t the exact fit, he would point my friend in the right direction.

That answer told me quite a bit about the way they approach the business.  I texted my friend the card and information immediately upon leaving the store.

Stayer and Mansour also believe there is particular value in having work done locally rather than sending a customer’s jewelry or watch somewhere else. For watch owners, the shop offers everything from a simple battery replacement to a complete overhaul. Goldworks services a wide range of fine watches and has begun attracting attention for its ability to service Rolex watches in-house.

There is also some peace of mind in knowing that your watch isn’t being shipped around the country or around the world.

According to the owners, Rolex customers have traditionally had to travel to places such as Tysons, where watches may then be sent to a service center in Dallas or, in some cases, back to Switzerland. Goldworks says its average turnaround time for Rolex service is approximately five to seven days, rather than several months, and generally costs significantly less than customers may be accustomed to paying.

The shop also works on clocks and other mechanical timepieces.

“We pride ourselves on being a brick-and-mortar store whose services cannot be found within 100 miles of our location, having an expert jeweler in-house as well as a watchmaker in-house, and creating happy generational bonds with our customers,” the owners said.

That philosophy fits naturally into Old Town, where independent businesses often become part of the identity of the neighborhood itself.

Stayer and Mansour want longtime Goldworks customers to know that the shop they remember is still there. For people who have never stepped inside, they want Goldworks to feel less like an intimidating fine-jewelry store and more like a knowledgeable neighbor.

Customers are welcome to stop in for expert advice, an on-the-spot watch battery replacement or a complimentary jewelry cleaning. And because the owners know Old Town “like the back of our hand,” they are just as happy to offer a restaurant recommendation or talk about what is happening around town.

“We’d love Zebra readers to know that they are welcome anytime into our shop to see happy faces and to talk about anything on their mind,” they said.

And after spending some time there, I believe that is actually true.

Bonus points if you ask Mansour about his new watch-polishing machine. It’s fun to witness someone’s face light up with genuine appreciation for the tools of his trade.

For Stayer and Mansour, the future of Goldworks on King Street is ultimately a continuation of something that has worked for decades: craftsmanship, familiarity and service.

Their goal for the next chapter is a simple one: keep the doors open, keep the workbenches busy and continue happily serving the community’s needs.