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Rethinking The Store: Clodius & Co. Month 8: End In Sight?

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Mark and Monika Clodius have been hard at it, expanding their Rockford, IL, store, Clodius & Co. since the beginning of the year, and INSTORE has been there with them, tracking their ups and downs. In July, they wrestled with the security risks posed by dozens of unfamiliar workmen at their store, they fretted over delays in steelwork, and they tried not to pull their hair out over problems little and big on the homefront. The month of August brought more frustrations, but it also brought the knowledge that they’ve come to deal with those frustrations better.

Rethinking The Store: Clodius & Co. Month 8: End In Sight?

Rethinking The Store: Clodius & Co. Month 8: End In Sight?

THE SKIES LET LOOSE: We’ve had 14 inches of rain this month, Monika says about August. It’s meant some wet ceilings, ruined ceiling tiles, even some water in display cases and, oh yes, three unexplained burglar alarms. We’ve had a baptism by water, Mark jokes. 

Rethinking The Store: Clodius & Co. Month 8: End In Sight?

GROWING ENTERPRISE: On the addition, the walls are up, the roof is on, and the contractor is nearly ready to begin tearing out the wall that separates the old from the new. Monika moved her office temporarily to a trailer, where she’s been interviewing job candidates for the two to three new staff members the larger store will require. Also, Clodius & Co. is now open on Mondays. The measure means in the short term a loss of one of Mark and Monika’s weekend days, but it fits into the strategy of expanding the building and business. The whole goal is to get the business large enough where it doesn’t need an owner to run it on a day-to-day basis, Mark says. 

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Rethinking The Store: Clodius & Co. Month 8: End In Sight?

VACATION? WHAT VACATION? A planned family trip to a lake was pre-empted for Monika when her mother had unexpected surgery. Mark and the kids were able to go, but Monika stayed behind to care for her mother, who also happens to be the store’s display manager. It’s been a very trying time for me, Monika says, and I think I’m exhibiting a lot of personal growth. 

Rethinking The Store: Clodius & Co. Month 8: End In Sight?

HITCHES: Monika had the chance to exhibit more growth when it turned out an essential element of the architect’s plans proved impossible. A 10-foot window central to the new façade? Oh yeah, you can get the glass, but no one’s guaranteeing that it won’t break right away. You’d think an architect would know something like this, Monika says. So they tweaked the design and braced for the next challenge … which was: The loan money hasn’t come through yet. Months ago when everything was approved, no one told them the paperwork couldn’t proceed if they didn’t up their life-insurance coverage. It’s been all these little stupid things, Monika says. It’s not like the bank’s never done all this before. 

Rethinking The Store: Clodius & Co. Month 8: End In Sight?

THE PROGNOSIS: Word came from the contractor on the completion date: Oct. 20-24, just three weeks later than they’d been planning all along. Considering how late we got started, Mark says, omitting the setbacks, personal tragedies, torrential rains and bureaucratic flubs, that’s really remarkable.

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Retiring? Let Wilkerson Do the Heavy Lifting

Retirement can be a great part of life. As Nanji Singadia puts it, “I want to retire and enjoy my life. I’m 78 now and I just want to take a break.” That said, Nanji decided that the best way to move ahead was to contact the experts at Wilkerson. He chose them because he knew that closing a store is a heavy lift. To maximize sales and move on to the next, best chapter of his life, he called Wilkerson—but not before asking his industry friends for their opinion. He found that Wilkerson was the company most recommended and says their professionalism, experience and the homework they did before the launch all helped to make his going out of business sale a success. “Wilkerson were working on the sale a month it took place,” he says. “They did a great job.”

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Rethinking The Store: Clodius & Co. Month 8: End In Sight?

Published

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Mark and Monika Clodius have been hard at it, expanding their Rockford, IL, store, Clodius & Co. since the beginning of the year, and INSTORE has been there with them, tracking their ups and downs. In July, they wrestled with the security risks posed by dozens of unfamiliar workmen at their store, they fretted over delays in steelwork, and they tried not to pull their hair out over problems little and big on the homefront. The month of August brought more frustrations, but it also brought the knowledge that they’ve come to deal with those frustrations better.

Rethinking The Store: Clodius & Co. Month 8: End In Sight?

Rethinking The Store: Clodius & Co. Month 8: End In Sight?

THE SKIES LET LOOSE: We’ve had 14 inches of rain this month, Monika says about August. It’s meant some wet ceilings, ruined ceiling tiles, even some water in display cases and, oh yes, three unexplained burglar alarms. We’ve had a baptism by water, Mark jokes. 

Rethinking The Store: Clodius & Co. Month 8: End In Sight?

GROWING ENTERPRISE: On the addition, the walls are up, the roof is on, and the contractor is nearly ready to begin tearing out the wall that separates the old from the new. Monika moved her office temporarily to a trailer, where she’s been interviewing job candidates for the two to three new staff members the larger store will require. Also, Clodius & Co. is now open on Mondays. The measure means in the short term a loss of one of Mark and Monika’s weekend days, but it fits into the strategy of expanding the building and business. The whole goal is to get the business large enough where it doesn’t need an owner to run it on a day-to-day basis, Mark says. 

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Rethinking The Store: Clodius & Co. Month 8: End In Sight?

VACATION? WHAT VACATION? A planned family trip to a lake was pre-empted for Monika when her mother had unexpected surgery. Mark and the kids were able to go, but Monika stayed behind to care for her mother, who also happens to be the store’s display manager. It’s been a very trying time for me, Monika says, and I think I’m exhibiting a lot of personal growth. 

Rethinking The Store: Clodius & Co. Month 8: End In Sight?

HITCHES: Monika had the chance to exhibit more growth when it turned out an essential element of the architect’s plans proved impossible. A 10-foot window central to the new façade? Oh yeah, you can get the glass, but no one’s guaranteeing that it won’t break right away. You’d think an architect would know something like this, Monika says. So they tweaked the design and braced for the next challenge … which was: The loan money hasn’t come through yet. Months ago when everything was approved, no one told them the paperwork couldn’t proceed if they didn’t up their life-insurance coverage. It’s been all these little stupid things, Monika says. It’s not like the bank’s never done all this before. 

Rethinking The Store: Clodius & Co. Month 8: End In Sight?

THE PROGNOSIS: Word came from the contractor on the completion date: Oct. 20-24, just three weeks later than they’d been planning all along. Considering how late we got started, Mark says, omitting the setbacks, personal tragedies, torrential rains and bureaucratic flubs, that’s really remarkable.

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After 139 Years, A Family Legacy Finds Its Perfect Exit With Wilkerson.

When third-generation jeweler Sam Sipe and his wife Laura decided to close Indianapolis’ historic J.C. Sipe Jewelers, they turned to Wilkerson to handle their retirement sale. “The conditions were right,” Sam explains of their decision to close the 139-year-old business. Wilkerson managed the entire going-out-of-business sale process, from marketing strategy to sales floor operations. “Our goal was to convert our paid inventory into retirement funds,” notes Sam. “The results exceeded expectations.” The Sipes’ advice for jewelers considering retirement? “Contact Wilkerson,” Laura says. “They’ll help you transition into retirement with confidence and financial security.”

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