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The Ultimate Jeweler Resource
September 2014
Issue 57
More Than Ten Million Reasons Why RJO’s Minneapolis Buying Show Was Record-Setting
THE RJO SUCCESSION EXPERIENCE October 19-21 Hyatt Lodge in Oak Brook, IL SEE PAGE 2
FROM THE RJO CHAT CHANNEL How do you find employees? SEE PAGE 3
JEWELER PROFILE Burkes Fine Jewelers: It’s a Northern Neck Tradition SEE PAGE 5
VENDOR PROFILE
MINNESOTA MAY BE KNOWN as “The Land of 10,000 Lakes,” but this past August 16-18, it became known as “The Land of $10 Million in Sales.” Spurred by the attendance of more than 300 stores and a record number of vendors, this Fall’s Buying Show was a hit in many, many ways. Themed “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” this Show offered a tried-and-true schedule of educational seminars, giveaways, new and exciting vendor lines, along with Show-specific deals. A popular new feature— the RJO Idea Center—was accompanied by the even newer RJO Idea Share meetings. And, of course, there was the record-setting buying by attendees. RJO CEO Mary Peterson says she is pleased, but not surprised by the new record. “I’ve seen this coming for a few years,” she said. “Each show gets more and more valuable for our members, and our vendors don’t hold back in offering RJO their best lines with their best prices.” Be sure to mark your calendars for the next Buying Show: RJO Round-Up, January 24-26, 2015, in San Antonio, TX.
JewelConnect Committed to "Shop Online, Buy In-Store" SEE PAGES 6-7
RJO BUYING SHOW AWARD AND PRIZE WINNERS SEE PAGES 10-11
FAMILY. DIVIDEND. SUPPORT. BUYING POWER.