AS 2024 APPROACHED, Brent Harden, owner of La Maison d’Or Jewellers, knew he had much to celebrate.
The business his parents, Bill and Julie, founded in 1949 was about to mark the 75th anniversary of its origins and the 45th anniversary of a move to Ottawa, the capital of Canada. “We’ve had this beautiful business, taken care of many customers, second, third, fourth generations,” Harden says. “I’ve built a successful store to hand off to my daughter.”
Harden strategized with his daughter, Jessica, and the team to promote the occasion in various ways, culminating with the annual holiday party in November.
First, they designed a logo to tie everything together and created a brochure telling the family history story. They created two versions of a platinum anniversary ring made with Canadian diamonds and donated 14 rings directly to organizations in the community to use for fundraising (live auctions, silent auctions, raffles, etc.). They set and exceeded a goal of raising $100,000 for local groups, including the city’s largest hospitals. The rings were also sold in the store to customers who joined in celebrating the anniversary.
For one high-profile promotion, La Maison d’Or gave away 45 “dinner for two” $250 gift cards at three of Ottawa’s top restaurants. The contest was promoted on social media and on the store’s website: “Tell us about your fairytale love story for a chance to win a romantic dinner for two, courtesy of La Maison d’Or! Whether you bought your rings from us 50 years ago or last year, we want to hear from you.” The recipients were a mix of people who entered the contest on social media and of longstanding clients chosen by Harden.
When planning the holiday party, Harden invited Paul Tacorian, chairman of Tacori, as a guest of honor. One hundred and fifty-two VIP invitees attended; everyone received a gift of freshwater pearl jewelry. There were prize drawings, refreshments and circus performers in the style of Cirque du Soleil. Even though expectations for sales are modest during parties, sales during the week of this year’s party were up significantly over other years.

Acrobats performed for the store’s holiday celebration and guests received gifts of freshwater pearls.
“But it’s not always about ROI,” Harden says. “What happens in a year or two when their customer has a friend or a child getting engaged? Who are they going to suggest? Us.”
Harden enjoyed growing up in the family business. “We would get giant wood barrels from England filled with china,” he recalls. “I would check the packing slips at 5 or 6 years old. I went to all the trade shows. When I was 14 years old, a lady looked at a sapphire and diamond ring and said, ‘Can I try it on?’ Then she said, ‘I’ll take it!’ It was my first sale.”
Jessica, who represents the third generation of the business, has worked part time since she was 5 and full time since 2015.
In 2015, they renovated the store, adding more seating areas, a café and new jewelry collections. The café was inspired by Harden’s parents, who owned a diner in the 1940s. After a fire shut it down in 1948, Brent’s mother Julie said, “That’s it, Bill, we’re going into the jewelry business.”
The seating areas and café clearly extend an invitation to stay a while. “We want you to sit down and be comfortable because it’s an important purchase,” Harden says.
“I was sitting in a spa and having a cup of tea, and on the cup it was written, ‘your moment.’ When people get engaged, everyone talks about that moment. Your moment, too, is when you come into the store and shop for the ring.” He created a pamphlet called “Your Moment,” which includes a menu for the cafe.
Harden is often asked if and when he will retire. “For me, retirement equals death, and death equals retirement,” he says. “You always want to continue to learn in life. You don’t want to stagnate. You’re 69; you’ve got to learn new things now.”
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