Headlines

Prominent Jeweler Guy ‘Smiley’ Merry Dies at Age 100

Published

9 years ago

February 26, 2016

INSTORE Staff

He was involved in the industry for the past 70 years.

Guy “Smiley” Merry, a well-known jeweler in Eustis, FL, died at age 100, the Orlando Sentinel writes. The article says he first opened his store, Merry Jewelers, in 1946 after serving two years as part of the U.S. Navy Seabees. He sold the shop in 1965 to retire, but after his wife died, he came out of retirement and took back over the store with his daughter. “He’s a larger than life figure,” Eustis Mayor Michael Holland, whom Merry mentored, told the newspaper. “Smiley was somebody, who would share business experiences with me. He would tell young people how important it was to get your education.”

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.”