True Tales: Short-Lived Happiness

Published

15 years ago

May 5, 2009

Stories from the front lines of retail

A nice, enthusiastic guy calls several times, making sure we would be ready for him to bring in his girlfriend for an engagement ring. He says, “Money is no object. I have a great job and it is full time.”
At noon, he comes in the door with a very surprised, scared, nervous girlfriend. We help her make three choices for an engagement ring. She has tears in her eyes. We’ve been chatting back and forth and I ask how long have they been together. “One month” was the answer. They left with him saying he’d be back to finalize the deal. He never did return. A month later he came in and asked if we were hiring. I had to tell him no. He hung his head and left. I felt sorry for him and wondered about his girlfriend. From the happiest guy in the world to the most sad in just 30 days.
— TERRY AND SANDY SMITH
GOLDSMITH JEWELERS, LITTLE FALLS, MN

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.”