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Last Laugh: Joe Donlon

Published

14 years ago

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This month’s joke-teller has come a long way since his first job as a part-time jewelry store stock-boy.

Last Laugh: Joe Donlon

 

[h5]ABOUT OUR JOKER[/h5]

In 1970, when Joe Donlon was 16, a family friend called and offered him a part-time stock-boy gig in a jewelry store. “They would pay me $1.25 per hour and I would get paid every Friday,” Donlon recalls. “I needed an 8-track stereo for my $200 used car, so I said “You betcha.” But, as these stories go, that was only the beginning of a long career in jewelry.

Donlon earned his diamond grading certificate from GIA and became interested in watch repair, learning the craft from the store’s watchmaker. When the store closed in 1983, he was immediately recruited by a high-end jeweler at the local mall, where he obtained his GIA colored-stone certificate and created and managed the watch department. Finally, in 2001, he started his own business, Donlon’s Quality Time watch repair shop in his home in Ventura, CA. He does work for 12 retail stores and his business is growing. “The only thing I hate is the commute from upstairs to downstairs,” Donlon says.

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[span class=note]This story is from the January 2010 edition of INSTORE[/span]

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Wilkerson Testimonials

Wilkerson: “They Feel Like Family”

Newton’s Jewelers in Fort Smith, Ark., was a true institution. But after being at the helm for most of his life, owner (and descendent of the original founder) Kelly Newton decided it was time to retire. He chose Wilkerson to handle the sale. “I’ve known the owners of Wilkerson for a long, long time. I felt at home with them,” he says. The final retirement sale was just a “blast” and the Wilkerson sales team made it so very simple and straightforward, says Newton. Would he recommend Wilkerson to others? Absolutely. “They’ve done incredible work,” says Newton. “They feel like family.”

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In the End

Last Laugh: Joe Donlon

Published

14 years ago

on

This month’s joke-teller has come a long way since his first job as a part-time jewelry store stock-boy.

Last Laugh: Joe Donlon

 

[h5]ABOUT OUR JOKER[/h5]

In 1970, when Joe Donlon was 16, a family friend called and offered him a part-time stock-boy gig in a jewelry store. “They would pay me $1.25 per hour and I would get paid every Friday,” Donlon recalls. “I needed an 8-track stereo for my $200 used car, so I said “You betcha.” But, as these stories go, that was only the beginning of a long career in jewelry.

Advertisement

Donlon earned his diamond grading certificate from GIA and became interested in watch repair, learning the craft from the store’s watchmaker. When the store closed in 1983, he was immediately recruited by a high-end jeweler at the local mall, where he obtained his GIA colored-stone certificate and created and managed the watch department. Finally, in 2001, he started his own business, Donlon’s Quality Time watch repair shop in his home in Ventura, CA. He does work for 12 retail stores and his business is growing. “The only thing I hate is the commute from upstairs to downstairs,” Donlon says.

[span class=note]This story is from the January 2010 edition of INSTORE[/span]

Related Topics:

click to Comment(Comment)
Advertisement

SPONSORED VIDEO

Wilkerson Testimonials

Wilkerson: “They Feel Like Family”

Newton’s Jewelers in Fort Smith, Ark., was a true institution. But after being at the helm for most of his life, owner (and descendent of the original founder) Kelly Newton decided it was time to retire. He chose Wilkerson to handle the sale. “I’ve known the owners of Wilkerson for a long, long time. I felt at home with them,” he says. The final retirement sale was just a “blast” and the Wilkerson sales team made it so very simple and straightforward, says Newton. Would he recommend Wilkerson to others? Absolutely. “They’ve done incredible work,” says Newton. “They feel like family.”

Promoted Headlines

Most Popular