Editor's Note

When Jewelers Put Family First, Everyone Wins

The sheer number of family businesses in jewelry retail is one of the things that makes our industry so special.

Published

7 months ago

October 1, 2025

Trace Shelton Instore October 2025 Issue

I CONSTANTLY MARVEL AT those of you who work with your family. Many of you work at multi-generational stores coexisting in harmony, day after day, with the people who are closest to you away from work and in the store.

I used to dream about opening a retail shop with my brothers. Now, multiple disagreements and fallings-out later, I’m glad we never tried it because it surely would have cost us a lot more than bruised feelings.

Then again, maybe we could have made a go of it if we’d had the advice delivered in the lead story of this issue. From structured check-ins to assigned roles to well-thought-out succession plans, there are lots of systems and initiatives that you can institute to ensure smooth dealings with family members. And the store owners and experts cited in the article have proven — sometimes over multiple generations — that they work.

One of my favorite tips from the story comes from 80-year-old Kubes Jewelers in Fort Worth, TX, where each generation establishes its own timeframe and rules for transition. I love how this principle both empowers people and sets the stage for a fluid evolution from one generation to the next.

The business of jewelry retail is special for many reasons, not least of which is the number of family-based stores across the continent. I hope our story helps you to keep that tradition going in your store (although when it comes to holiday dinner conversations, you’re on your own!).

Now Introducing The INSTORE Show, Coming to the Chicago Area in 2023!

Trace Shelton

Editor-in-Chief, INSTORE
[email protected]

Five Smart Tips You’ll Find in This Issue

Clean your store and move around all the displays so everything looks fresh and exciting. Manager’s To-Do, p. 24
Extend your normal return policy for holiday purchases, so early shoppers don’t need to worry about buying a gift that can’t be exchanged. Manager’s To-Do, p. 24
Allow five years to plan for structure and intent for the succession of your store. The Big Story, p. 30
In meetings, allow a few minutes for venting or complaining and then switch to solution mode, holding everyone accountable to stay there. The Big Story, p. 30
Put the jewelry you most want to sell at the back center of your displays. Larry Johnson, p. 50

After 35 Years in Kent, Bonaci Fine Jewelers Found the Right Partner to Close the Right Way

Bob Bonaci spent 35 years building a jewelry business and community presence in Kent, Washington. When he decided it was time to retire, he knew the process would take careful planning — and the right help. Fellow jewelers who’d been through it pointed him to Wilkerson. The results exceeded expectations. Wilkerson’s hands-off approach let Bonaci step back while the team handled every detail, meeting his personal and financial goals throughout. “It is phenomenal, the success that we’ve had.” Watch Bob share his retirement story.