Last Laugh: Emily Spath Clark

Published

12 years ago

November 1, 2011

Last Laugh: Emily Spath Clark

[h3]BIG SALE[/h3]
A WOMAN was taking her time browsing through everything at a jewelry store sales event, and said to the sales associate, “My husband is going to be very angry I stopped at a jewelry store.”

“I’m sure he’ll understand when you tell him about all the beautiful things at bargain prices you found,” the sales associate replied.

“Normally, yes,” she said. “But he just broke his leg, and he’s waiting for me to take him to the hospital to have it set.”

[componentheading] About our Jokers [/componentheading]

Second-generation jeweler Emily Spath Clark was literally born into the jewelry business. After she graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in business marketing she was offered the role of vice president of operations at the family-owned and operated Spath Jewelers of Bartow and Valrico, FL. Emily and her family follow the mottos “With God all things are possible,” and “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” A sense of humor helps in retail, too. “You see so many different personalities,” she says. “When you have a good attitude, it comes across to others and it radiates back to you.”

[span class=note]This story originally appeared in the November 2011 edition of INSTORE. [/span]

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.”