In 2005, my wife and I bought the store where I had worked as an apprentice jeweler. I felt a sense of indebtedness to this community. They had supported the previous owners since 1903. I thought, “Man, don’t screw this up!” My attitude was to support every cause, project, fundraiser or organization that walked through our door. Some of the old guard said, “You can’t donate to everyone!” I have found that yes, you can, almost. It didn’t take long for the word to spread. In fact, while typing this very note, I stopped to prepare a donation for a high school band fundraiser and a college honors silent auction. My EDGE software has a “why did they come in” feature that tells us that many people have visited as a result of our community involvement. The most important thing I’ve learned as a retailer: what goes around comes around. Lance Buttars, Molinellis Jewelers, Pocatello, ID
This article originally appeared in the January 2018 edition of INSTORE.
