Worthington Business Spotlight Series: Worthington Jewelers
Adding to the appeal and uniqueness of a community, local businesses play an important role in growth and economic development. In Worthington, we have new and tenured businesses that reflect our community's character and complement our historic charm. These establishments give back to the community in ways that help build awareness, foster continued growth, and provide goods and services to Worthington and its visitors. At Building Worthington’s Future, we
understand the significance of development to the city, schools, business community, and citizens. In continuing our mission to be an educational resource for the community and understanding the benefits of development within our boundaries, we asked businesses around Worthington to share their experiences as business owners in Worthington.
01) What inspired you to start your business, and when did you start it?
In August 2000, Worthington Jewelers opened to offer central Ohio shoppers stylish, high-quality jewelry at prices that won't break the bank. Our goal has always been to create a welcoming and stress-free shopping experience for anyone who walks through our doors.
Three key points inspired me when starting Worthington Jewelers. First, my father taught me the value of maintaining professional contacts, such as a reliable accountant, lawyer, doctor, dentist, and jeweler. These relationships more than pay for themselves over a lifetime. I also aimed to establish long-term relationships with our customers so that they would refer to us as "their" hometown jeweler, helping us to grow through referrals and word of mouth.
Second, every American woman has at least one piece of jewelry that requires repair or resizing, is outdated, or they are willing to sell. Our store caters to these needs by offering custom design services, repair and resizing, and purchasing old jewelry.
Finally, we wanted Worthington Jewelers to offer a unique shopping experience in terms of our products, services, and the store's atmosphere. Most jewelry stores and big-box retailers sell mass-produced jewelry, often produced overseas, and lack on-site services for jewelry repair. Many also use high-pressure tactics to induce shoppers to make an immediate decision. We decided to specialize in one-of-a-kind jewelry to help customers celebrate the most important moments of their lives. To make our creations affordable, we sourced diamonds and other gemstones directly, enabling us to offer 20 to 50 percent lower prices than other local jewelers. And we decided to foster a friendly, fun, no-pressure shopping experience. Our non-commissioned sales team knows their job is to help customers find exactly what they’re looking for, within their budget – not just to make a sale.
For the previous 20 years before starting Worthington Jewelers, I worked in outside B2B Sales. My father was a salesman and brought me up in a business environment. As a result, I always treated my sales territory as my own business and realized I could control my destiny! The more success I had, the more money I made!
When the opportunity arose to follow my dreams and run my business in an "exceed customer expectations environment," I was finally in my element!
02) What drew you to Worthington, and what do you love about doing business here?
I've always loved the cozy feel of Old Worthington. It's got such a welcoming vibe that I just can't resist. But I didn't want to decide based on my gut alone. I had to make sure it was a smart business move, too.
So, I asked myself, where's the best spot to attract the most well-off folks within 10 miles of Central Ohio? And just like that, it hit me: High Street and 161 in Old Worthington. It was the perfect location! Once we found a suitable building, everything else came together super smoothly.
03) With your customer base in mind, do you feel you would benefit from either more residential or more tourism/traffic?
YES! We would thrive in either environment. Both would bring us more traffic and customers. If I had a magic wand or one wish, I would wish for convenient structured parking!
04) What do you think Worthington can do to attract more Business and be more "Business-friendly"?
Worthington has really improved its reputation as a friendly and enjoyable place to do business thanks to DORA1. Huge kudos to the city for achieving this! However, it would be even better if the code for DORA could include the Village Green.
DORA stands for Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, it's what allows people to purchase beverages in Old Worthington and walk around with an open container, but you can’t go north of Worthington Jewelers or south of Chapala.
Also, the current requirements for signage and the waiting period seem a bit too strict for new businesses.
05) Do you have upcoming plans that you would like the community to know about?
Our Semi-Annual Bridal Sale runs October 3rd through October 31st, with Buy One, Get One 50% Off pricing on all wedding jewelry. And, of course, we'll be open for the traditional Worthington holiday events in November and December.
