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Readers Share Their Thoughts on the Upcoming Selling Season, a Dearth of Potential Employees and the Luxury Wedding Jewelry Experience

These were the letters to the editor in September.

Published

3 years ago

October 4, 2022

INSTORE Staff Instore October 2022 Issue

The August issue is right on target as the luxury wedding experience is a monumental happening! — Annette Kinzie, Leonard Jewelry, Stillwater, OK
The last few weeks we have seen more people selling jewelry. May be a sign of the times for those not so well off. — Gene Arthur, Arthur’s Jewelry, Reidsville, NC
We closed the shop for two weeks and drove away with three of our grandkids. — Erie Canal, Herkimer diamond mine, Niagara Falls, Lake Ontario, Cedar
Point Amusement Park, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Indiana Dunes National Seashore. What we saw was America is rockin’! Containers on trucks and trains and barges. People of every color and language out loving our beautiful country. If you listen to the news, it is dour. If you get out there and put 3,000 miles under your belt, you will see we are vibrant. — Jo Goralski, The Jewelry Mechanic, Oconomowoc, WI
Your articles and comments from people like me are a nice break from the customer who complains about a $10 battery 🙂 — Tommy Thobe, The Village Gem, Perry Hall, MD
What is everyone’s opinion about permanent jewelry? Stuller is out of stock of the welders and we get multiple calls weekly. — Katie Poterala, MAKE MADE Jewelry, Greenville, SC
Finding employees these days is like winning the lottery. They want the job but not the work it requires. I must admit that I have given up on seeking any new employees for the foreseeable future. I am just putting in more time and getting it done right the first time. Sad face here. 🙁 — Bill Longnecker, Longnecker Jewelry, McCook, NE
In our market, James Allen has cut into our sales more than Blue Nile. Now that they’re both owned by Signet, it could get interesting. What’s the Chinese curse: May you live in interesting times? — Bill Elliott, Ross Elliott Jewelers, Terre Haute, IN
Fall: events, events and events. Told my staff last spring with the impending slowdown that store events will be the way to keep our numbers up. So far, it’s been true. Our “Grill & Chill” event in June was absolutely crazy good. I’m thinking about an actual auction in my store. — Tom R. Nelson, Nelson Jewelry, Spencer, MA

Share your thoughts with INSTORE. Email us at editor@instoremag.com

Four Decades of Excellence: How Wilkerson Transformed a Jeweler's Retirement into Celebration

After 45 years serving the Milwaukee community, Treiber & Straub Jewelers owner Michael Straub faced a significant life transition. At 75, the veteran jeweler made a personal decision many business owners understand: "I think it's time. I want to enjoy my wife with my grandchildren for the next 10, 15 years." Wilkerson's expertise transformed this major business transition into an extraordinary success. Their comprehensive approach to managing the going-out-of-business sale created unprecedented customer response—with lines forming outside the store and limits on how many shoppers could enter at once due to fire safety regulations. The results exceeded all expectations. "Wilkerson did a phenomenal job," Straub enthuses. "They were there for you through the whole thing, helped you with promoting it, helping you on day-to-day business. I can't speak enough for how well they did." The partnership didn't just facilitate a business closing; it created a celebratory finale to decades of service while allowing Straub to confidently step into his well-earned retirement.