Headlines

John Hardy to Open First U.S. Location in New York

Published

8 years ago

March 10, 2016

INSTORE Staff

Company rents out entire building in Soho.

John Hardy, a Hong Kong-based jewelry brand, will open its first U.S. location after signing a lease to take over all three floors of a Soho building in New York City, the Commercial Observer reports. Real estate broker Matthew Seigel told the news outlet that the company picked Soho “because of the heavy foot traffic in the retail-focused neighborhood,” noting that the 118 Prince St. location “stood out particularly because it is a one-purpose building – something that’s a rarity on the street.” All three floors total 3,600 square feet, and asking rent on the ground floor was $1,200 per square foot, the article says.

When There’s No Succession Plan, Call Wilkerson

Bob Wesley, owner of Robert C. Wesley Jewelers in Scottsdale, Ariz., was a third-generation jeweler. When it was time to enjoy life on the other side of the counter, he weighed his options. His lease was nearing renewal time and with no succession plan, he decided it was time to call Wilkerson. There was plenty of inventory to sell and at first, says Wesley, he thought he might try to manage a sale himself. But he’s glad he didn’t. “There’s no way I could have done this as well as Wilkerson,” he says. Wilkerson took responsibility for the entire event, with every detail — from advertising to accounting — done, dusted and managed by the Wilkerson team. “It’s the complete package,” he says of the Wilkerson method of helping jewelers to easily go on to the next phase of their lives. “There’s no way any retailer can duplicate what they’ve done.”