Headlines

INSTORE Named Finalist for 3 Neal Awards

Published

6 years ago

March 6, 2018

INSTORE Staff

Website and 2 feature articles tapped for business publishing’s most prestigious honors.

MONTCLAIR, NJ – INSTORE, the media brand serving American jewelry store owners, reached a milestone when it was named a finalist for three Jesse H. Neal awards last week.

The Neal Awards are widely regarded as one of business-to- business publishing’s most important awards competitions. INSTORE’s previous record for finalist nods was two in 2015.

INSTORE, which has twice won the Neal Awards’ most prestigious award for Best Single Issue (2011 and 2015), earned finalist status for its website (instoremag.com) as well as two separate feature articles. “PR Powerhouse” (February 2017) by senior editor Eileen McClelland provides a do-it-yourself primer for retailers who may not be able to afford professional public relations services. And “The Big Survey” (October 2017) is a data-filled and richly illustrated special feature sighting trends and gaining insights into the state of the retail jewelry industry in 2017.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in New York City on April 5, 2018.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our whole editorial team,” said David Squires, SmartWork Media group editorial director. “Scoring three finalists for a single brand is a tremendous coup. And the three different nominees also indicate the extensive range of our team’s talents. Eileen’s instructional features are always amazing, and don’t forget, she’s a previous Neal Award winner (in 2013). Meanwhile, the Big Survey is a project we’re extremely proud of — a broadly statistical and personal look at a market that I’ve never seen approached or replicated in any other magazine.

“Last but not at all least, the website recognition is especially gratifying. Mainly because we’ve worked so hard over the last two years to make our website one of the very best in all of business-to-business publishing.”

Another SmartWork Media publication, PETS+, was named a finalist in the category of Best Single Issue (brand revenue less than $3,000,000).

The four honors were SmartWork’s highest number of nominations ever from the Neal Awards.

The company has earned 111 awards since 2004, making the company one of the most highly decorated publishers, per title, in the world.

This Third-Generation Jeweler Was Ready for Retirement. He Called Wilkerson

Retirement is never easy, especially when it means the end to a business that was founded in 1884. But for Laura and Sam Sipe, it was time to put their own needs first. They decided to close J.C. Sipe Jewelers, one of Indianapolis’ most trusted names in fine jewelry, and call Wilkerson. “Laura and I decided the conditions were right,” says Sam. Wilkerson handled every detail in their going-out-of-business sale, from marketing to manning the sales floor. “The main goal was to sell our existing inventory that’s all paid for and turn that into cash for our retirement,” says Sam. “It’s been very, very productive.” Would they recommend Wilkerson to other jewelers who want to enjoy their golden years? Absolutely! “Call Wilkerson,” says Laura. “They can help you achieve your goals so you’ll be able to move into retirement comfortably.”