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Alson Jewelers Makes Magic In Cleveland | April 16, 2014 (0 comments)
Cleveland, OH--Brothers and fourth-generation jewelers David and Chad Schreibman co-own and run Alson Jewelers, the modern-day legacy of their great-grandfather, who was a watchmaker and jeweler in Poland. (Left, exterior of the store.)
Alson Jewelers is in its 83rd year of business. The store's name came from the brothers’ grandfather, Al. When his sons joined the business, the name “Alson” was formed. "We have been in Cleveland for three generations," said David Schreibman. "Our father Richard, Uncle Larry, and Aunt Marcia were the second generation in Cleveland. All three retired many years ago. Chad and I now co-own the store, which has evolved over the years.”
Alson’s roots were as more of a general merchant than a luxury jewelry store. In the beginning, the store also sold luggage, transistor radios, and, like many jewelers, had an optical department. “Over the years, the store has evolved and today carries an impressive collection of designer jewelry and Swiss timepieces," says David.
The Schreibman brothers, Chad (left) and David (right), are the fourth-generation owners of Alson Jewelers.
The store and the people. Today the store has approximately 5,500 feet of selling space and 6,500 square feet in total. There are 10 dedicated salespeople and three additional support personnel. The store also has an onsite WOSTEP-trained watchmaker and master jeweler.
"We do it all," says Chad. "We have a low turnover. Some staff have been here 25-30 years, some 10-12 years. We do have two new associates who have only been here two and a half years. Without good staff you are nothing."
David and Chad spend a lot of time with their staff in store meetings. The topics vary from sales to product knowledge but often include information about creating a magical experience for the customer. "We don't just talk the talk; we walk the walk," says Chad about the store's philosophy of outstanding sales and service.
Coffee and refreshments, as well as a candy bar for the kids, are always ready for customers, and the store has a special children's area, below:
The customers. Alson has a nice variety of core customers: the young bridal customer, age 25-30. The stay-at-home mom. The working mom. The female self-purchaser of any age, and the male watch enthusiast crowd. Both brothers agree that their customers are not run-of-the-mill. "Our clientele is sophisticated," says Chad. The two have stocked the store to match.
Above and below, interior views of Alson Jewelers.
Sales and the inventory. "Bridal is about 30% of our sales, fashion jewelry is also about 30% and watches the same," says David. "We do a bit of custom work, but it's not our main focus." The remaining 10% is other merchandise along with watch and jewelry repairs.
With sales divvied up among bridal, watch and fashion, it's no surprise that Alson Jewelers carries a number of brands. In jewelry, the store features David Yurman, Ippolita, John Hardy, Marco Bicego, Roberto Coin, Bez Ambar, and Penny Preville. For watches, Alson is an official Rolex jeweler and authorized dealer of Baume & Mercier, Cartier, David Yurman, Michele Watches, TAG Heuer, Raymond Weil and Swiss Army, and Tudor.
The store features a dedicated Rolex corner. "We devoted a nice area of the store to it about a year and a half ago," said Chad. "It was a great opportunity for us."
The outreach. "We promote and advertise to the best demographics in local zip codes," says Chad. "We're also big on billboards, direct mail and digital marketing. We still do a little print in selected publications. We have a good name after having been in Cleveland for 83 years. We do not take it for granted, and we want to keep our name in front of our customers."
Alson Jewelers also achieves that goal through social media and a newly revamped website, set to debut in a few weeks. "We'll have the new website up soon," says David "It was redesigned to showcase more product. When someone is searching our website they'll see jewelry. That's what they are looking for."
The company has a solid social media presence on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and a weekly jewelry blog.
The brothers and the partners. Chad and David work together on most aspects of the business. "We do it all together," notes David. "We both wear multiple hats and get the job done. We're both very involved, from buying and advertising to taking care of clients on the sales floor. We each step right in and do whatever needs to be done." The two are generally at the store six days a week; it is closed on Sundays. "One of the benefits of having a brother as a partner is that one of us can sneak out as needed," they agree.
The future. So, is there a fifth generation of jewelers in the works? "We both have college-age kids right now," says David. "Before we know it, they will be in the work force. If they are interested, we're open to it, but no pressure."
Chad agrees. "We were very fortunate in our transition into the business. It worked out great. We had no family issues; our uncle and aunt welcomed us with open arms to come in and they didn't tie our hands. If we're fortunate with the next generation wanting to join us, we'll do the same."