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Working With Family, Expectations For 2020, and More of Your Letters

One store owner says working with family almost blew up two relationships.

Published

4 years ago

January 27, 2020

INSTORE Staff Instore February 2020 Issue

Working With Family, Expectations For 2020, and More of Your Letters

On “All in the Family”

My brother Steve and I are second generation, our four children are third generation, there are eight of us here at Lou’s Jewelry — all family — and we all actually like each other. People ask if we spend holidays together. We say no we don’t, but we spend every other day of the year together! Does that count? Haha! — Tim Sherrer, Lou’s Jewelry, Mobile, AL
Family business can be very sticky. I’ve had two brothers-in-law leave the business and almost quit the family because of personal differences at work. — Nate Smith, T Lee Custom Designer Jewelry, Minneapolis, MN
I work with my daughter. She sold her first ring at the age of 9. It is wonderful and challenging both. She knows the business inside and out. Loves the colored gems and has done CAD design. When I come on the scene, she has said exactly the same things I will point out. — Kas Jacquot, Kas A Designs, Jefferson City, MO
This was our best holiday selling season yet — so good, in fact, that this husband-and-wife team did not have a spare moment to read the December story on families who work together! Definitely looking forward to catching up on our required reading! — Zechariah Chambers, Chambers Jewelers, Ford City, PA

First Happy December

We closed our brick and mortar business after three generations and 100 years in September. Did a bit of business still via email and some appointments. Enjoyed December for the first time in 42 years. Now I know what all of those people on the train were smiling about on their way home from office parties. We had a good run, but are so happy to be done with the 8 to 5, six day a week thing. — Eric Ohanian, Leon Ohanian & Sons, Boston, MA

Climate Concerns

2020 should have climate change at the forefront. I think it would be wise for our industry to do an analysis of the effect that lab-grown diamonds have on our environment versus mined diamonds. Are we doing better, environmentally, as an industry? — Mark Kasuba, M. Edward Jewelers, Pittsfield, MA

Thanks, No Pressure

The magazine is doing a wonderful job and has managed to become the leading industry magazine of our times. That said, it creates a bit more pressure on the visionaries of this achievement because as the old adage says, “It’s difficult to reach the top — but even more difficult to stay there without slipping.” Actually I just made that up, but you know what I mean 🙂 — Peter Stavrianidis, Venus Jewelers, Somerset, NJ

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.”