(PRESS RELEASE) After being closed for nine weeks, the offices of the Independent Jewelers Organization (IJO) have reopened, as announced by President and CEO Jeff Roberts. “Our staff has been working from home all these weeks, and it’s good to be up and running again – albeit with the necessary restrictions in place.”
IJO is constantly looking for ideas and ways to help its members, and throughout the pandemic has continually offered access to online webinars, blogs and training videos. “I personally reached out to every IJO member individually, to see how they were managing and offering help,” said IJO’s director of member services, Penny Palmer. “There were a lot of members who weren’t ‘connected’ to the rest of the membership, so I assisted them in getting access to our discussion channel on our website as well as our Facebook pages. There’s a great deal of comfort knowing you’re not out there all alone.”
Roberts stated, “There are still many, many members who have not been able to reopen yet, but we were also concerned with the rest of the industry. We decided to make a special offer to eligible retailers regarding membership for the remainder of this year, just in case there’s something we can do to help. IJO offers many resources that can help alleviate some of the struggles people are experiencing.”
Anyone interested in information on IJO’s special offer can contact Penny Palmer at 800-624-9252 or email penny@ijo.com. “The sense of family in IJO is what sets us apart from other groups,” Palmer added, “and I’ve always been very proud of what we do.”
Family Legacy, New Chapter: How Wilkerson Turns 89 Years of History Into Future Success
After 89 years of serving the Albany community, Harold Finkle Your Jeweler faced a pivotal decision. For third-generation owner Justin Finkle, the demanding hours of running a small business were taking precious time away from his young family. "After 23 years, I decided this was the time for me," Finkle explains. But closing a business with nearly nine decades of inventory and customer relationships isn't something easily managed alone.
Wilkerson's comprehensive approach transformed this challenging transition into a remarkable success story. Their strategic planning handled everything from advertising and social media to inventory management and staffing — elements that would overwhelm most jewelers attempting to navigate a closing sale independently.
The results speak volumes. "Wilkerson gave us three different tiers of potential goals," Finkle notes. "We've reached that third tier, that highest goal already, and we still have two weeks left of the sale." The partnership didn't just meet financial objectives—it exceeded them ahead of schedule.
