The phone on the table next to my bed was very busy every day. Occasional calls from friends and family would keep my mind occupied and entertained. There were many days when I really couldn’t talk and wish the phone wouldn’t ring. But it did.
Owning your own business is a very time consuming, laborious, financially intensive endeavor. Especially a fine jewelry store. I usually worked 70 hours plus a week, seven days at the time. Business was good. I had finally worked my way up from very humble beginnings. My first tiny store, just a front door, no window or bathroom, a virtual shoebox. Broad St. North Philadelphia. It was what I could afford. The rent was cheap. It was my start. It took about four years and another move to N. 5th st. in between for me to make it to the promise land. The Roosevelt Mall ! Starting small again, the rent was much higher than what I was used to, I went all in. Thats what you had to do in business. Again, we outgrew our digs and moved to a larger space after our first year in the mall. Constantly building new stores is a real cash drain but necessary for growth. So was the need for more and more expensive and expansive inventory. That’s the problem in our industry. Keeping the cases full.
It was now my eighth year in business. 1996 was moving in the right direction. Sales were good, my employees were becoming seasoned and gaining experience in a very difficult field. I would tell them that every piece of jewelry was unique. Every piece… a snowflake. Diamonds, gemstones, different metals, tolerances, timepieces, etc. All unique. That it would literally take 50 plus years to even begin to have a small understanding of every facet of our business. The most important thing that I taught my employees was that, above all, every person, every customer, that walked through our door, was your number one priority. To acknowledge the customer immediately and treat them with utmost respect. Integrity, trust, great prices and beautiful inventory built the business. One on one relationships with my customers was so important. We deal with Engagements, Weddings, Birthdays, Anniversaries, New births, Milestones, Graduations….you name it. Generations of families at this point. It’s a special thing. A labor of love.
Behind the scenes it’s crazy. Making sure all of the repairs are perfect and on time. Dealing with multiple lines and vendors. Craftsman and specialty jewelers. Churning out custom engagement rings and bridal jewelry. And especially making sure that that perfect holiday gift was always ready. There was no…”Sorry but Santa couldn’t make it on time!” Never! They say ” No Pressure, No Diamonds”.
“Mr. K…there is no easy way to tell you this…you have Leukemia”. Screw me. My phone rang all day in my bubble. My employees. Questions. All day everyday. I handled what I could. They understood. So did my customers. It was very frustrating for me. It would be a long time before things would be the same. A long time until I would be able to recuperate and assume my full duties. Without the hard work and perseverance of my employees, the financial assistance of my Dad and the dedication of my wife on top of everything else going on, I doubt that Belaggio Jewelers would still be here after 31 years. Thank you all. This was not the end of the story though. Leukemia is not your friend. It’s Relentless.
Next up: Time to Go Home