Capri Jewelers: The Resurrection of Chris DeCapri

Chris DeCapri

 Chris DeCapri is like the phoenix of ancient lore. In February, 2010 he went into the hospital for a simple outpatient procedure  and spent the next three months in critical condition, fighting for his life. The doctors were not optimistic. Twice during his toughest days in ICU Chris “coded” in a touch and go battle with death. Family and all of us working with Chris were told, prepare for the worst. There really was nothing more the doctors could do but hope…and pray. But deep down in his soul, even unconscious, Chris DeCapri’s spirit, his will to live, was much too strong. His life, his children, his thriving jewelry business, no, Chris DeCapri had much more living yet to do. You see, after beating cancer in his youth, survival is wired into Chris DeCapri’s DNA.  Read More »

Those of you who know me well know that about every four years I go on a diet. Not the New Years resolution kind of diet that’s all bluff and no beef, but a serious one. It has become a necessary part of the maintenance regimen for my Adonis like physique. Looking this good takes sacrifice people! It takes determination and almost super human self control. (As proof, I submit that to the utter disbelief of my fellow New Years Eve revelers, I didn’t even have a sip of Champaign at the stoke of midnight!) It is also my way of helping reduce our nation’s catastrophic obesity problem, starting with the man in the mirror. You also know that I would never be caught hanging out at one of those yuppy filled, socially conscious athletic clubs taking a Zumba classes. Nope…never happen. Besides, I am allergic to actual physical exercise….really. So the diet has become my weapon of choice in the battle of the bulge. Read More »

2011 started as the year nobody could predict. In 2010 we picked up the pieces from 2009 with many jewelers seeing big increases off the bottom. In 2011 the question was would we see more growth or a slide back down into the retail abyss? Is the economy really recovering? For most of our clients I am thrilled to report, the growth of 2010 continued right through 2011. Many of our stores will close out this year with their best year ever! Initial holiday sales reports are that the season started early and strong but ended with a weaker than expected final week. I think we will see total holiday sales  still up double digits in the 12% range. Please, when you have your final November and December numbers…send them ASAP so I can finalize our group totals and get them out to everyone. Read More »

Ream Jewelers of Lancaster, PA , the newest member of the Ideal Marketing Group launched their new web site December 1st. It is the first step in Ream’s re-imaging campaign that will be followed by a broader media advertising in 2012. Alan Friedland and his wife Ricki are well known as one of Pennsylvania’s finest jewelers and we are thrilled they are now part of IMG.

www.ReamJewelers.com

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Both David Fairclough Fine Jewelers and Perry’s Emporium post million dollar increases.

David Fairclough

In the last 12 months both David Fairclough Fine Jewelers in Toledo, OH and Perry’s Emporium in Wilmington, NC posted increases of a million dollars. Let that sink in for just a moment.  A one million dollar increase….in one fiscal year. I can remember when doing one million a year in total business put you in the big leagues. In 1993, in the early days of Freshley Media, most of our clients started at under one million a year. My how times have changed. Read More »

As we take Thursday of to celebrate Thanksgiving, I for one am going to be be praising God for his amazing bounty and blessings, especially his blessings upon the Ideal Marketing Group. This is the year that should not have been. To be blunt, it shouldn’t have been this amazingly good.  While almost every economic indicator is flat or on it’s back, while Washington continues to be completely dysfunctional, while unemployment is still soaring and most retailers struggling, our group of jewelers has posted the best year in our 18 year history. With the exception of only a couple markets, almost every IMG store is back to or are exceeding their 2005-2006 highs. Yes, the boom in gold buying helped, but almost across the board, bridal and regular retail jewelry sales have increased as well.

In the coming weeks I will share with you some of the latest amazing growth stories, but for now, like you, I am just looking forward to a long, joyful day with my family. Whatever circumstance you find yourself in I urge you to take tomorrow to rest, relax and give thanks for all that we have, for family, for health and your business. Even if you’re not having your best year ever, we are all still blessed to to just be in this amazing business. It’s about to be showtime. The Christmas season starts friday, but tomorrow, give thanks, for all the blessing in your life, and all that are yet to come….

Happy Thanksgiving!

"It's almost getting to be fun!" Louis Michelson, president, Michelson Jewelers, Paducah, KY

Michelson Jewelers closed out October with 25% growth in just bridal sales in just the first four months with Freshley Media and our newest Ideal Marketing Group member. Overall store sales are up over 33% for the same period! Louis Michelson’s store has long been the largest jeweler in western Kentucky, but they are fast becoming a category killer…a super store. We just completed recording his holiday ads and Louis is pumped up about the fourth quarter. Here is what Louis said in a recent email after a busy saturday afternoon to all of us on the team: Read More »

Busy Final Fall Push
The coming weeks are crunch time as you know, getting all our media created and placed. This has been a great year for most jewelers in our group and I’m so proud at how you have all made the most of challenging times. Bridal sales are strong and seem to be getting stronger. Gold buying has slowed but it’s still coming in. Higher end pieces are getting interest and business. At least a third of our group will post record sales this year! Read More »

David Fairclough - Fine Jewelers

Last night at dinner, David Fairclough, his wife Rhonda and I toasted our 14th year together. It was 1997 when David called and inquired about our marketing program. Since then, through ups and downs, as a team we have all worked to build “The Castle” as it is now known, into the strongest jeweler in the Toledo market. Today, not only does David Fairclough dominate the Toledo bridal market, he is having his best year ever! With sales up 42% this year, all is well in the kingdom indeed.  Read More »

I’ve been on the road since August 31st and have so much to share with you, but I’ve got to catch a plane, so I’ve got to keep this short. This photo I just had to share. This is Buster and Williams Jewelers in Denver’s Cherry Creek North Shopping district is his store. Of course Buster doesn’t actually own the store…technically, Bruce Williams does. But I am about convinced that the entire operation is built and runs solely to maintain Buster’s high standard of living.

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