Press Releases

Growing Product Categories and Successful Store Design Are Focus of Plumb Club Podcasts

January’s podcast will help retailers understand the growing popularity of the colored gemstone category.

Published

2 years ago

January 10, 2023

Press Releases

Growing Product Categories and Successful Store Design Are Focus of Plumb Club Podcasts

(PRESS RELEASE) NEW YORK — 2023 marks the 40th year of The Plumb Club providing education within the jewelry space. In keeping with that focus, the successful Plumb Club Podcast series introduces its first two podcast topics for the new year. January’s podcast will help retailers understand the growing popularity of the colored gemstone category, as well as learn about how good lighting is crucial to a store’s success. Both podcasts, delivered by experts in their field, are available in the listening area of the Jewelers Resource Center along with an extensive library of other retailer dedicated topics.

Lighting is Essential to a Successful Jewelry Store: Great lighting is crucial for a successful jewelry store. In this podcast, Leslie McGwire helps listeners understand the goal of lighting and how the proper intensity of light impacts the merchandise and customer perception. She gives tips on best in-case lighting, as well as the lighting in aisleways between the showcases. Further, she details how decorative lighting captures the customers attention and adds to the store’s perception. Leslie McGwire, ASID Allied (American Association of Interior Designers), is an award-winning interior designer and author with 35 years of experience in retail design and a specialization in jewelry store design. She is the owner of Leslie McGwire & Associates, Inc.

Rising Popularity in Colored Gemstones: Colored gemstones are a continually growing category for today’s retailers. The reasons are multifold. Among them, a changing consumer demographic, a changing economy, fashion and fashion influencers/celebrities. Oren Akhavan discusses each of the underlying reasons that account for the surge in colored gemstone popularity and illustrates how the category helps provide support and opportunities for the retail jeweler. Oren Akhavan is the operations manager for Ryan Gems, a second-generation family business specializing in both gemstone and diamond jewelry.

The Plumb Club podcasts, which are added monthly, provide strategies, knowledge and immediately actionable steps from industry leaders, that help retailers across a variety of business areas. The newest podcasts, as well as previous ones, are available in the “Listen” area at the Jewelers Resource Center or on The Plumb Club website under “Resources”.

Four Decades of Excellence: How Wilkerson Transformed a Jeweler's Retirement into Celebration

After 45 years serving the Milwaukee community, Treiber & Straub Jewelers owner Michael Straub faced a significant life transition. At 75, the veteran jeweler made a personal decision many business owners understand: "I think it's time. I want to enjoy my wife with my grandchildren for the next 10, 15 years." Wilkerson's expertise transformed this major business transition into an extraordinary success. Their comprehensive approach to managing the going-out-of-business sale created unprecedented customer response—with lines forming outside the store and limits on how many shoppers could enter at once due to fire safety regulations. The results exceeded all expectations. "Wilkerson did a phenomenal job," Straub enthuses. "They were there for you through the whole thing, helped you with promoting it, helping you on day-to-day business. I can't speak enough for how well they did." The partnership didn't just facilitate a business closing; it created a celebratory finale to decades of service while allowing Straub to confidently step into his well-earned retirement.