THE QUESTIONS that arise from running a jewelry store seem to be infinite.
After more than a decade of researching and writing about how to run your business, we are only scratching the surface, it seems, on covering the kinds of concerns you deal with every day.
With that in mind, we’ve decided to publish an expanded version of our popular INSTORE department, Ask INSTORE, as our Big Story in this issue.
Each month editor Chris Burslem is ready and willing to field your most perplexing, urgent queries, and consult industry experts for the best answers out there. It’s impossible to stump Chris and his erudite consultants, so keep those questions coming.
Also in this issue, we’ve compiled 50 awesome things about being a jeweler to help motivate and inspire you through this busy buying season, courtesy of our Brain Squad.
And, in a special feature, we’re offering a glimpse of what it’s like to be a gem hunter out in the field — the rewards and the risks — along with advice on how to get started on your own quest. Whether you have the resources to take a trip to Africa or visit a mine in the U.S., gem hunters say that going to the source can be a life-changing experience for you and a big boost to your business.
As Nancy Schuring, owner of Devon Fine Jewelry, puts it, leaving her retail business to visit far-flung mines and markets makes her feel like she’s come full circle.
“When you walk around a jewelry show, you don’t usually wonder where the gems came from. But when you take one of these trips you develop a new appreciation. You see where it came from and appreciate what it takes to create the gems we usually take for granted.”
Happy hunting.
Eileen McClelland
Managing Editor, INSTORE
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.
