Headlines

Silpada Sues 3 Former Workers and a Jewelry Store

Published

8 years ago

January 18, 2017

INSTORE Staff

The firm says they stole items worth $300,000.

Silpada Designs Inc. is suing three of its former employees along with a jewelry store over what it claims is stolen merchandise, the Kansas City Star reports.

Lenexa, KS-based Silpada shut down abruptly in 2016. The legal battle now underway — a civil lawsuit — concerns $300,000 worth of jewelry, accessories and other items that Silpada says were supposed to be destroyed.

The Star reports that the items were “leftovers, stuff that had been rejected when the Silpada name and merchandise were sold off … in mid-October, to the Richline Group.”

Sean Pickett is an attorney representing the former employees: Edward Jones, Shaun Aelmore and Beau Foos.

Pickett said his clients didn’t steal anything. In fact, he said, they were “given permission by warehouse staff to take product that was not subject to the sale to Richline.”

William Reneau owns the Gold Rush Exchange, which purchased a large number of the items. Connie Shidler, an attorney for Reneau, said the jewelry-store owner is “completely adamant that he bought these things in good faith,” the Star reports.

A judge in November issued a restraining order barring the employees and Reneau from selling the merchandise. Patrick McInerney, a lawyer representing Silpada, said the company is now requesting that the court “take the product and give it back to us.”

Read more at the Kansas City Star

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.”