True Tales: Short-Lived Happiness

Published

16 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

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.