Garibaldi and Bruns.

In 1896, Garibaldi and Bruns opened in Charlotte just off the Square on South Tryon Street. This new jewelry firm was formed by Joseph Garibaldi (1864-1939), William L. Bruns (1876-1937), and Harry W. Dixon (1872-1916). Garibaldi, a business and civic leader of the community, was the Charlotte-born son of Italian immigrants. William L. Bruns was a native of Columbia, S.C., who moved to Charlotte as a young man and trained in the jewelry business before going into partnership with Garibaldi.

When they formed their new business in 1896, they took on Harry W. Dixon as their bookkeeper. When he was made a full partner in 1901, the firm took the name Garibaldi, Bruns and Dixon. Following Dixon's death in 1916, the firm reverted to its original name. Garibaldi and Bruns maintained its store on South Tryon Street until 1977. Since that time, the firm has operated exclusively in three Charlotte-area shopping malls, Carolina Place, Eastland, and SouthPark.