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Gems & Stems |
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 Change is in the air!
Amy Minnick, Staff Writer, Mid-America Jewelry News
Change is in the air. It’s not just the fall leaves or the warm, stale smell of your furnace. What you and everyone else in America are experiencing is C – H – A – N – G - E. Change in the housing market, change in the stock market, change in government. Those who embrace it do better than hose who oppose it. Those who jump in head first and become change makers thrive. Actively seeking ways to conduct your business differently could determine whether your mall business survives or dies. Thomas Vickery understands he challenge of change.
As the current owner of Janesville, Wisconsin Gems & Stems, family-owned and operated retail jewelry store, he’s embraced change several times since joining the jewelry industry. His mom, who owned a pawn shop, developed a strong jewelry business that included on on-staff jeweler to handle repairs.
 Thomas learned the repair business from him and continued with his formal education before taking over the business seven years ago. He loved the retail jewelry part of the business. He decided to close the pawnshop and stick strictly to retail jewelry. This gave him the opportunity to open and grow a totally new concept of jewelry store for his area, as well as pursue custom jewelry created for his customers. Custom designed jewelry and exclusive designs are what make his store unique.
With chain stores all around him, Thomas started to rethink the way he did business. Wanting to set his business apart, he thought outside of the (jewelry) box. With an employee already on staff that had experience with floral design, Thomas decided to take a chance on a new concept.
Thomas combined jewelry and floral calling it Gems & Stems. "We adapted our company to meet the needs and demands of the local community. We sell diamonds and colored gemstones, all of which are hand selected by myself, ensuring quality, vibrancy and of course, excellent prices. I offer custom bridal as well as other styles of custom jewelry. We now have more to offer our customers.
They can come in for a single rose or an engagement ring or both,” states Thomas. Cultivating the right balance between floral and jewelry is no small feat. Thomas relied on the expertise of his staff as well as
several other factors to help him launch the concept but, at the same time, he eagerly jumped right in to
learning how to arrange flowers, deliver bouquets and market two companies merged into one.
“We never miss an opportunity to cross market both of our services,” Thomas states. “When we deliver flowers we always include information for customer discounts for our jewelry or vice versa.” Thomas also sets his business a part by carrying unusual or hard to-get items, like the Seiko Melody Clock. Couple that with the custom work he does and Gems & Stems is poised not only to survive economic downturns but, instead, thrive in them.
“Even though we’re in a tough economy Gems & Stems is growing by leaps and bounds. We understand that what we sell isn’t a necessity. Diamonds won’t make your car run nor are they food for your table. That’s why we go out of our way to meet every need our customers have. Including excellent price points for all of our products and services without sacrificing the quality our customers expect and deserve.”
With approximately 80% of their sales coming from custom work, Thomas has learned the value of customer service. If he doesn’t have it in the store, he’ll either find or create it. And no job is too big or too small for him to get involved. According to Thomas, "We have no boundaries as to what we can do. We enjoy creating your special occasions and assisting our customers in ways no one else can or will. That’s what
we do!”
As a jack-of-all-trades, Thomas handles jewelry repairs, creates custom jewelry, helps with special orders/requests, designs floral bouquets and, when needed, makes deliveries. He also handles the marketing. “My wife also helps with the store. She is a full-time mom along with her job as a hospital patient administrator. And, I cannot say enough about how much my mother has helped me. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for her. She is 66 now and handles my office/accounting and the floral department too.”
Surviving today’s economy mandates making changes. Thomas Vickery has successfully maneuvered through those changes to come out on the other side of the sliding profit scale and it was well worth it. Although Gems & Stems is only in its infancy, it is proving that growth is possible in this economy. According to Thomas the key is: “Being diversified and in tune to your clientele’s needs and desires. At Gems & Stems our customers come first. This allow us to grow in many unique ways. Special occasions are celebrated everyday, no matter what type of economy we’re in. This allows us to move forward.”
For more information on
Gems & Stems check out their
website at www.gemsandstems.net
or call them at 608-757-4367 |
Your Milton Ave Biz Here!
Your Milton Ave Biz Here!
Your Milton Ave Biz Here!
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