Mary Johnson – A Community Leader

Everyone who comes into Johnson Jewelers knows Mary Johnson. She has been a constant welcoming presence for decades. But did you know she also spends time serving the community? She recently concluded a run as the board secretary of the Puyallup Main Street Association, a group she’s been serving for many, many years. We wanted to share the lovely write up that they did as a tribute to her service.

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Thank You, Mary!

As the books closed out in 2021, we bid farewell to board members that have served diligently the past few years, but none with more passion than Mary Johnson of Johnson Jewelers. Johnson Jewelers is undisputedly one of our finest cornerstone retailers in downtown Puyallup. Mary is a 1960 PHS graduate and married into the Johnson family who have been jewelers in Puyallup since 1936. When Mary graduated, her father was general manager of Diamond Variety, which was located on the NE corner of Meridian and Main. At that time there were three variety stores located downtown including Pohlman’s Variety store (aka dime store) which included the footprint of the current location of Johnsons Jewelers.

In 1970, Johnson Jewelers was recruited to the new Valley Plaza shopping center. They moved their notable clock from the sidewalk (two doors down from where it sits today) and began operations in that location until the call to return that clock to downtown came 32 years later in 2002. In that time, and the time since first relocating from downtown, the face of Puyallup has reinvented itself many times. When Johnson Jewelers first came back to downtown in 2002, downtown Puyallup was known for its numerous antique stores. Over time those stores slowly disappeared, the South Hill Mall opened, Fred Meyers opened, and all well-known “big box” stores started appearing. Like many downtowns we lost a lot of what people came into town for. Today in our downtown core, we have 26 bars and restaurants, a host of salons, exercise venues, and several retailers to include Johnson Jewelers. The shop has enjoyed a wonderful business climate these past couple of years and sees more and more new clients than ever before. There is an old saying that businesses don’t do business with business, it’s people who do business with people. If it’s kind and friendly people you want to do business with, there is nobody befitting those adjectives better than Mary Johnson.

Mary has served on the Puyallup Main Street board off and on ever since returning to downtown 20 years ago and most recently served as the board secretary. There isn’t anyone more enthusiastic or sincere about her involvement than she has been. That includes walking down the street to meet and greet new business owners, to sweeping the sidewalk in front of her family business. Mary has always been very “hands on” when it comes to her involvement downtown. These days, in retrospect, Mary would say that PMSA has never had a better working relationship with our number one partner, the City of Puyallup, than ever before. She truly cares about our downtown!

While we will miss her formal board involvement we will always rely on her good counsel and advice with all things Puyallup. Thank you, Mary, for your many years of service!

Kerry Yanasak
Executive Director

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We are so proud of Mary and all that she does for our customers and the Puyallup community! Thank you to Kerry for this wonderful write up. Founded in 1989, the Puyallup Main Street Association is a 501 (c) 3 charitable nonprofit organization focused on business and community development and historic preservation. This is a wonderful organization that truly serves our Puyallup community.