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JR Dunn Is Passionate About Jewelry, Brands, And Hard Work July 31, 2013 (0 comments)
Lighthouse Point, FL—Had things gone in another direction for Sean Dunn of JR Dunn, he might have ended up working as a marine biologist instead of a jeweler. While he admits to still having a passion for the ocean, today he's fully committed -- and passionate -- about the family business (left).
"I went to business school, then to GIA." Dunn's family made the offer tempting -- they told him he could take his surfboard to jewelry school. "It was an easy decision," says Dunn. "I eased my way into the business. I had the great fortune to work for Ben Bridge jewelers. I worked in South Coast Plaza and loved it. It was a great foundation with great ethics, although school and work together was hard." Dunn spent just a year at Ben Bridge, but remains both influenced and impressed by the experience.
Sean Dunn (left) with Ann Marie and James Robert Dunn.
Interestingly enough, with his almost detour, Dunn is following in his family's footsteps. His parents, James Robert and Ann Marie, left their jobs at IBM, becoming jewelers, eventually moving to Florida with the idea of opening a by-appointment-only boutique and semi-retiring. Instead, they served their customers so well that they quickly outgrew their location and moved into a larger one. (See full history at the end of this story.)
Today, JR Dunn Jewelers occupies an 8,000 square feet building, filled with 50+ bridal, jewelry and watch brands, with the three Dunns behind the counter. But they are not the only family at JR Dunn Jewelers. Dunn's uncle, Robert Pelliccia, (Ann Marie's brother) is an award-winning designer with a De Beers’ Award and multiple Spectrum Awards. "Even my grandma still comes in now and then and opens doors for clients; she's in her mid 80s. I have a cousin here, Matthew Pelliccia, who worked his way through every part of the store. He apprenticed as a diamond setter, worked the service counter and is now in diamond sales. Today, he's a Breitling brand ambassador with a passion for watches. He's a great asset to the company," says Dunn.
Two interior views of JR Dunn Jewelers.
Dunn's parents are at the store every day. "We have a great relationship, we're fortunate to be able to work so closely." Dunn's parents married the same year they opened their first store, in 1969. In the years since, they've worked together each day. "Dad and Mom joke that when you're married and work together, it's actually three times longer than just counting the years." By that estimate, they've been married 130+ years!
"Dad is the first to arrive. He's a hard worker and makes sure that everything works and we're ready to open. He also handles the finances. And marketing. He's the head schmoozer," says Dunn. "Mom is deeply ingrained in the actual management of the sales floor along with buying."
And what does the younger Dunn do? He wears all the hats at different times and keeps an eye on the big picture for JR Dunn Jewelers. "I also have a huge passion for the Internet and web business and developing that in the store," says Dunn. "I'm fortunate that my parents gave me latitude to do that. Over the years, my parents let me try things -- they didn't all work. I work with the buyers and the sales team. I still do the sales floor. Some management here and there. We're all passionate. That's where the management comes in. We share ideas, we're blessed with a great team and managers who do the tough stuff. We try to make sure things go the right way and give them the tools to succeed."
JR Dunn Jewelers has about 40 employees, and about a dozen are in sales. "They are all multi-faceted. We have sales managers and an operations person who do coaching sessions and product knowledge. We do email recaps to keep everyone on the same page. The biggest management tools, along with face-to-face meetings - which my dad is a huge believer in - is Microsoft 365. It's a cloud-based solution incorporating Outlook, calendars and important company documents. It keeps everyone up to speed."
Along with great technology, the store also has a full jewelry studio that can do everything from CAD/CAM to platinum casting. "We have four full-time jewelers and two watchmakers," says Dunn. With his designer uncle, the store does a lot of custom designs. "We do lots of custom creating for larger stones; we're known for that," says Dunn.
And then there are the brands. "We carry a narrow focus of important brands," says Dunn. "Rolex, Breitling and Chopard are a mainstay for watches. We're very happy with our brands. We stay focused. We get the ones with a great fit for us, and not too much overlap with each other. We build a business with them."
Dunn uses traditional media to reach his customers, through radio, billboards and the Internet. "Also, we do quite a bit of customer relationship management, lots of follow-up phone calls, touching base and TLC." Along with these, Dunn also uses the Internet.
"We have thousands of pages on our website," says Dunn. "We keep it up to date as much as possible and showcase the new collections. We dabble in social media (Facebook and Twitter). We do pay per click through Google and we're looking toward the future. We'll be doing more social media and SEO (search engine optmization) plus email blasts. We find social media is hit or miss. Some things move the needle and some don't. We're always trying something new."
In September, JR Dunn Jewelers will unveil a completely redesigned website. Dunn is cagey about the details, only offering that it's currently "under wraps and it will be a completely different site."
So what does Dunn enjoy most about his job? "I love that when you walk into the store that anything can happen," says Dunn. "The possibilities are limitless. The jewelry business is full of stories, full of emotions, full of people's celebrations. I love that we can become a small part of important occasions. Even from the business perspective, you don't know what will happen. Those fun days send you home excited."
About JR Dunn Jewelers (from Sean Dunn's blog)
James Robert Dunn began his career in 1967 as a sales representative for IBM. There, he had the good fortune to meet Ann Marie Pelliccia, who was working as the senior secretary. The couple was married in 1969. That same year, with a savings of $10,000.00, they purchased a small house in Hanover, Massachusetts, and converted it into their first jewelry store, The House of Gems.
The House of Gems was robbed during the first year and every piece of jewelry was taken, including customers’ repairs. Ann Marie and Jim went from door to door informing clients and reassuring them that their prized possessions would be replaced. The Dunns paid for the stolen jewelry out of their own pockets to preserve their reputation for integrity and trust.
Business began to grow by leaps and bounds, and The House of Gems soon outgrew its tiny location. Jim and Ann Marie relocated the store to a mall in South Weymouth, changing the name to J. R. Dunn Jewelers to emphasize the importance of a family-owned and operated business.
In 1977, they moved to South Florida with intentions of semi-retirement. Jim and Ann Marie opened a small jewelry boutique, which served a select clientele by appointment only. But word spread and J. R. Dunn Jewelers outgrew its’ location once again. Their next decision was a big one: to purchase a 6000-square-foot freestanding building on Federal Highway in Lighthouse Point.
Today J. R. Dunn Jewelers has grown to an 8000-square-foot showroom featuring the world’s most renowned Swiss watches and designer jewelry as well as custom designs by Ann Marie’s brother Robert Pelliccia. Robert is a three-time DeBeers Award Winning Designer (1993, 1995 and 2000), a Spectrum Award winner (1999, 2000 and 2001) and Modern Jewelers Buyers Choice Award winner. J. R. Dunn Jewelers’ staff has more than 300 years’ of combined experience in the jewelry industry, as well as three certified gemologists including their son, Sean. Sean earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the University of Florida and has a graduate gemologist degree from The Gemological Institute of America in California (GIA). He now continues the legacy of excellence his parents, Jim and Ann Marie, built. Together, they are eager to give clients “The Ultimate Jewelry Experience” and will continue to treat their clientele with the same standards of excellence established all those years ago in a tiny house in Massachusetts.