By Janice Sina
(May 8, 2026) — What does a pair of diamond pendant earrings have to do with a stack of baseball gloves? A lot more than one might think. It’s a story that begins and ends with Mallove’s Jewelers in Middletown and its many iterations over its 97 year run. Mallove’s was owned by the Levin family from 1928 until December 2025. Marc Levin, third generation owner, sat down with his longtime friend Sam Crum and me to tell the story, and in particular, the role his dad, Buzzy Levin, played in his life, the business, and the community.
It all begins with Buzzy’s father, Max Levin, who owned a combination package store, grocery store and gift shop in Middletown in the 1920s, At the time, Mallove’s Jewelers had five locations throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts. When the Middletown Mallove’s came up for sale, Max bought it, combining the jewelry store and his gift store. It thrived for many years on Max’s maxim of superb customer service. There are ups and downs in any business, and tragedy struck when Max died in an automobile accident in 1944. He was only 44 years old, leaving the business in the care of his widow, Beatrice Levin, and a great uncle, Joseph Levin. Uncle Joe became a father figure to young Buzzy, who began to help out at the store. In high school at the time, Buzzy was an excellent baseball player and, as a senior, he was offered a contract to play professional ball with the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Dodgers missed out on a great baseball player, but Mallove’s gained a hardworking employee who grew into a successful businessman. Marc said, “A jewelry store is a jewelry store, but what makes the difference is two words: customer service. I learned this from my father.” Buzzy eventually bought the business from his grandmother and Uncle Joe and ran it from 1957 to 1992. Buzzy’s business skills were put to the test on December 20, 1972 when a fire destroyed the store. He rebuilt it from the ground up at its current location on Main Street in Middletown.
Though Buzzy (photo above, left, with his wife, Harriet, courtesy Greater Hartford Twilight League) didn’t sign on with the Dodgers, he kept his glove oiled, playing semi-pro ball with the Middletown Giants from 1941 to 1951. He also started the Middletown Little League in partnership with the Director of the Middletown Parks Department, Bernie O’Rourke. Advocating that all kids were given a fair chance to play, he initiated the Little League rule, both local and national, that every player on a team had a chance to bat once and complete a full inning on the field in a game. He also was involved with many aspects of sports in Middlesex County.
If there’s a gene for the undeniable love of baseball, the Levin family has it and has passed it on through the generations to Marc. He was a star player at Xavier, going on to play at the University of Tampa. An injury in his junior year kept him off the field, so he came home to work for a year to see what the business was all about. “The jewelry store is always a happy place,” he said. “I worked there when I was younger – at Christmas when it was kind of crazy and summers when it was quiet – but I wanted to see a whole year.” His only hurdle was getting his grandmother’s approval. She expected him to finish college. He convinced her that even as a Business major, college wasn’t going to teach him what his dad could and what working in the industry could. With his grandmother’s blessing, Marc officially joined the business in 1982 and assumed more responsibilities over time. Marc said, “My father told me, ‘You gotta make mistakes. Just don’t make the same mistake twice.’” He officially took over the business in 1992 when Buzzy retired. Buzzy lived another 25 years to lend the wisdom of his years as a successful businessman. Marc sold Mallove’s in December 2025, making the transition to a new owner, who kept the Mallove’s name and its customers.
I asked Marc (photo above, left, with longtime friend Sam Crum) where the baseball gloves come in. During the years Buzzy was involved with the Little League, he noticed many kids didn’t have the equipment they needed to play the game. He bought overstocks of gloves and shoes from sponsors and gave them to any kid who needed them. Thanks to Buzzy, many kids had the opportunity to play baseball, and just as important, they learned what it was like to be part of a team and to appreciate a helping hand. “Back then,” Marc said, “the kid’s parents would bring him into the store so he could thank my dad. That’s all he wanted, a thank you.”
Buzzy Levin had the philosophy that if something was good for kids, it needed to be done. This philosophy radiated out into the wider community, too. He had lights installed at Palmer Field for night games, and sponsored athletic activities in Middletown. An important lesson that Marc learned from his dad, beyond baseball and business, was that if you gave to the community, the community gave back. And in the spirit of giving, the ballfield at the high school has been named Buzzy Levin Field in his honor.
Diamonds seem to run in the Levin family; emerald cut diamonds glittering in a jewelry case and baseball diamonds etched onto green fields beckoning aspiring players. Through Buzzy Levin and his commitment as a solid businessman and steady community leader, they’ve come together in an alchemy that inspires young kids, whether it was his son at the store or a kid on the field, to do their best.
“Great guy,” Marc said in closing. “I miss him every day.”
