One of my newest staff members was working on the floor, and while she wasn’t too knowledgeable due to how recently she had joined us, she had a very pleasant disposition. A young guy comes in with his wife and asks to see a 4-carat Hearts On Fire Dream cut. Not exactly something we stock. He knew the design, and we looked through the online stock and found a 3-carat Dream cut that they both liked. It was almost too easy — like something was going to go sideways — but they left a decent deposit. The weird thing was that, as the owner, I felt something was left undone. I checked with the Hearts On Fire office and asked what other options they had in perhaps slightly larger diamonds. I got the information and called the young guy. He sounded as though he was in a bar. I told him that Hearts On Fire had a Dream that was 5 carats. It took him about 15 seconds, enough time to swallow a sip of beer, I figured, and he said, “Yeah, sure go ahead. Does it cost more than the 3-carat?” I said yes, and it was a big jump, but he said, “Go for it!” Next time we saw him, he had a certified check in the six-figure range. We have been trying to duplicate that feat, but it seems to be a dream now. — David Blitt, Troy Shoppe Jewellers, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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.
