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Georgia Jewelry Buyer Finds Power in Self-Expression

Jessica Rossomme is intrigued by vintage finds, travel and building an interesting wardrobe.

Published

4 years ago

November 16, 2020

INSTORE Staff Instore November 2020 Issue Online Extra

Jessica Rossomme-INSTORE Get Inspired Nov 2020

ONLINE EXTRA

Q. How do your travels inspire future trips?

A. Road trips are always fun and often inspire my next vacation, for example driving from Arizona to Georgia one year we stopped in Albuquerque, NM and heard about the Balloon Fiesta so the next year my trip was centered around that incredible experience.

Q. How did you join the retail jewelry industry?

A. I’ve always appreciated jewelry but my entry into the industry was quite serendipitous, I was motivated to get a part time job, in addition to my previous full time one, and it pivoted my career onto a completely different trajectory.

Q. What has your year been like as a jewelry buyer?

A. At Mucklow’s, we are taking a very slow, educated look at everything and trying to decide. Because we were closed for months, we have a nice selection of inventory now. We have set up wonderful relationships with the designers we work with and they have been very supportive with memo. That has been fundamental to our success this year.

Q. What do you look for in general when buying jewelry for the store?

A. We pride ourselves on having a varied selection both in styles and price points. When I’m buying for the store I look for several things:

Pieces that fill a particular void we may currently have
Lines that have a varied selection so that we have the the option to expand our partnerships with the designers if the response is positive
New designers with compelling stories that will resonate with our community
Most importantly I am looking for designers, companies and lines that value and acknowledge the importance of having a relationship with their retailers.

Q. When you’re buying jewelry for the store, do you consider the specific client or type of client the jewelry would appeal to?

A. When looking at certain designers with more distinct looks I do often have a certain client or a type of client in mind, Lika Behar, for example, is a perfect choice for self purchasers who know what they like as soon as they see it. With jewelry selection, especially in a more traditional area like the suburbs, you have to work with the community you are in and provide what you know are proven sellers while still keeping the offerings feeling fresh and introducing new styles and trends. It is a continual mix of the math and the magic of buying.

Q. What do you think your wardrobe and accessories say about you?

A. My wardrobe is more than individual pieces of clothing and accessories put together, it’s a collection of things I love. To me it is an extension of my personality and who I am. I’m all about attention to the details, in life and my wardrobe, so the accessories and ultimately my jewelry is often the defining detail. My style runs the gamut and I’m always mingling genres.

Looking for a Seamless Sale? Call Wilkerson

After almost 60 years in business, Breakiron Jewelers in Erie, Pennsylvania, was closing its doors. And the store’s owner, Linda Breakiron, was ready for it. She had run the store as its sole owner since the beginning of the millennium and was looking forward to a change. Of course, she called Wilkerson. Breakiron talked to other jewelers who had used Wilkerson and was satisfied with their response. “They always had positive feedback,” she recalls. With the sales, marketing and even additional inventory that Wilkerson provided, Breakiron insists she could never have accomplished her going-out-of-business sale without Wilkerson’s help. She’s now ready for the journey ahead, but looking back, she’d be sure to recommend Wilkerson. “They just made the whole process very seamless.”