Headlines

‘Old West’ Jewelry Store Celebrates 127 Years in Business

Published

8 years ago

October 18, 2016

INSTORE Staff

Many things have changed — but a few haven’t.

Today, Nacol’s Jewelry in Wichita Falls, TX, operates in a completely different business environment — and even a different city — than it did when it opened in 1889.

Still, a few things haven’t changed, the Times Record News reports.

Samuel Joseph Nacol launched the business in Eunice, LA, and sold jewelry as well as a variety of general goods throughout the town.

“They would go on street corners and other families’ houses. It’s been fun watching how business has evolved from literally just a guy with a cart to a full-blown e-commerce and retail business,” said Jeff Nacol Turnbo, a great-grandson of Samuel Joseph Nacol.

In those days, merchandise on offer ranged from jewelry to hats to guns — after all, it was the Old West, Jeff Nacol Turnbo notes. Nowadays the focus is on jewelry.

The business moved to Wichita Falls in the 1950s, and today the store serves many customers who have been coming in for decades — along with their children and grandchildren.

Robbi Long, operations manager for the store, says some aspects have stayed the same over the decades, including the fact that the business is “all about the customer.”

“That’s why it makes it family — you treat that person the way you want to be treated,” Long told the Times Record News. “It’s not just hurry up and sell them something.”

Read more at the Times Record News

You Wouldn’t Cut Your Own Hair. Why Run Your Own Retirement Sale?

After being in business for over a quarter of a century, Wayne Reid, owner of Wayne Jewelers in Wayne, Pennsylvania, decided it was time for a little “me time.” He says, “I’ve reached a point in my life where it’s time to slow down, enjoy a lot of things outside of the jewelry industry. It just seemed to be the right time.” He chose Wilkerson to handle his retirement sale because of their reputation and results. With financial goals exceeded, Reid says he made the right choice selecting Wilkerson to handle the sale. “They made every effort to push our jewelry to the forefront of the showcases,” he says, lauding Wilkerson for their finesse and expertise. Would he recommend them to other jewelers who want to make room for new merchandise, expand their business or like him, decide to call it a day? Absolutely he says, equating trying to do this kind of sale with cutting your own hair. “The results are going to happen but not as well as if you have a professional like Wilkerson do the job for you.”