What I’ve Learned: Diane Harris

Published

8 years ago

May 24, 2016

Retailers tend to feel that if it’s working, why change
it? So, you will always see the same designers in the exact
same spots in the store. I have learned that when the same
food is on the menu, boredom sets in. Every visit to my store
is a different experience with a dose of familiarity. I like to
challenge my customers’ senses. You walk in the door and
it feels like home and then you turn around and “pow!” I
hear this a lot: “What’s different?” “Has the store always
been this color?” I am all about evolving. I tweak my décor
by adding a new chair or display case. The store’s signature
scent is different each visit. I add new designers monthly.
The packaging changes twice a year. I want people to come
in because they know it will be a visit filled with discovery. It
takes more work to keep the “fresh factor” up but I live for
the chance to go to shows and discover the next new thing. — Diane Harris, My House of Style, Birmingham, MI

This article originally appeared in the June 2016 edition of INSTORE.

When There’s No Succession Plan, Call Wilkerson

Bob Wesley, owner of Robert C. Wesley Jewelers in Scottsdale, Ariz., was a third-generation jeweler. When it was time to enjoy life on the other side of the counter, he weighed his options. His lease was nearing renewal time and with no succession plan, he decided it was time to call Wilkerson. There was plenty of inventory to sell and at first, says Wesley, he thought he might try to manage a sale himself. But he’s glad he didn’t. “There’s no way I could have done this as well as Wilkerson,” he says. Wilkerson took responsibility for the entire event, with every detail — from advertising to accounting — done, dusted and managed by the Wilkerson team. “It’s the complete package,” he says of the Wilkerson method of helping jewelers to easily go on to the next phase of their lives. “There’s no way any retailer can duplicate what they’ve done.”