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Retail News: Beauchamp Jewelers To Close After 65 Years; Borsheims’ 12 Days Of Giving December 07, 2016 (0 comments)
Beauchamp Jewelers, New Mexico’s Only Rolex Dealer, Closes After 65 Years In Business
Albuquerque, NM—Jeweler Ron Beauchamp remembers coming to work in the family jewelry business as the “polisher” at age 15. “I would polish every day after school until my hands were black from the polishing compound,” he recalls. But for Beauchamp, who traces his passion for jewelry to those childhood memories, it was a labor of love—making the decision to close the 65-year-old, third-generation family store especially tough. The store (left) began its liquidation sale last month.
As the youngest of three children, Ron Beauchamp inherited his love of jewelry from his parents, while his older siblings went off to pursue other paths. Both his grandfather and father were primarily watchmakers by trade, who handed down the skills to each generation; his mother was a real people person who loved beautiful jewelry.
Beauchamp Jewelers has been a fixture in Albuquerque since 1951, founded by Beauchamp’s parents Mac and Ione. The store--one year older than Ron—is the only Rolex jeweler in the state. But at age 64, Ron Beauchamp wants to take advantage of his good health and fitness, pending more time rock climbing, hiking, skiing, and traveling with his wife Cecilia, as well as pursuing other creative endeavors such as photography and painting.
Ron and Cecilia Beauchamp have no children to take over the store. “Ron wanted to close the business leaving it with a legacy of integrity and honorability to his family name,” said Debbie Fuchs, a spokesperson for the business. “Ron wanted all customers and friends to remember Beauchamp Jewelers for being nothing less than the stellar institution they have been for 65 years in Albuquerque,” she told The Centurion.
The interior of Beauchamp Jewelers, with the Rolex counter visible.
Beauchamp says he’s grateful for all the wonderful customers he’s gotten to know over the years—something he will miss the most. He’s watched customers’ children grow up and bring their own kids to the store, and parents become grandparents.
“The jewelry business is a happy business. My family’s goal was to be an honest business. We aren’t in this business to become millionaires, we’re in this business to make people happy, and because we love it” he said. He also strongly believes in giving back to the Albuquerque community where he grew up and Beauchamp Jewelers has regularly donated to a variety of local organizations, such as the New Mexico Bar Association, New Mexico Museum of Natural History, Albuquerque Community Foundation, Presbyterian Health Care Foundation, Adaptive Sports Program, Jewish Community Foundation, New Mexico Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), and many more. Beauchamp served as president of the New Mexico Jewelers Association from 1991-1994, during which time he founded the "All That Glitters Design Competition.” His father Mac was one of the founding members of the association, was elected president in 1966, and his mother Ione was its president in 1985.
Beauchamp Jewelers’ reputation with customers drew the attention of Rolex, which in 1996 named the store to be an Official Rolex Jeweler in New Mexico. Beauchamp also was a talented designer, having won a first place prize in the American Gem Trade Association’s Spectrum Awards competition, a point of pride for him (below, with a photo of his winning ring).
“The jewelry business in my DNA. This is all I’ve ever wanted to do and I’m grateful that I had the chance to pursue this passion as my career,” said Beauchamp.
Borsheims Kicks off Holidays with Deals & Fundraiser
Omaha, NE—December will be a month of giving for customers at Borsheims--both to their loved ones and to those in need.
The jeweler’s annual Weekend of Giving charity event was held last weekend (December 1 – 4) to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). In addition to the fundraiser, Borsheims will offer twelve days of deals this month to encourage customers in their holiday shopping.
The Weekend of Giving event is in its eleventh year at Borsheims and has become a tradition for the Omaha community. Each year, the jeweler selects a child-focused charity to benefit during the weekend. JDRF ‘s Heartland Chapter will receive a portion of all store sales during the four-day event, including sales from trunk shows from more than a dozen big designers. Borsheims will also offer a Giving Tree, where customers can purchase a Borsheims box for $10 and try to win prizes ranging from jewelry to gifts to big Borsheims gift cards. All $10 of the purchase price of the grab-box goes to JDRF.
Borsheims' CEO Karen Goracke with the Giving Tree.
Borsheims president and CEO Karen Goracke says the Weekend of Giving is a popular annual tradition for the store. “We go through hundreds of boxes on the giving tree in the first few hours alone. Customers love buying several boxes each to give out to friends and family at gift exchanges. They love the surprise of finding out what’s in the box and knowing that the money goes to a good cause.”
JDRF executive director Laci Naber said, “We are honored to partner with the jewelry industry leader to bring awareness to JDRF’s mission of accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and treat type 1 diabetes.”
In addition to the Weekend of Giving, the 12 Days of Giving promotion is running online. Starting December 1, Borsheims customers receive one email a day featuring a unique and handpicked gift at a big bargain. The special product also is featured on Borsheims’ social media channels (Instagram and Facebook). The promotion is designed to help create a little extra holiday cheer and to celebrate the many Generations of Giving that Borsheims has been a part of. Here's one of the posts:
