Karen, Fred, Melissa and Justin Burke.
It was a different world when Dorothy and Fred Burke got into the jewelry business in 1969.
Come August, Burkes Fine Jewelers in Kilmarnock will celebrate 50 years in business. Son Fred and his wife Karen took over from Fred’s parents and have brought the store into the 21st century with the help of their son Justin and his wife Melissa.
One thing that’s changed the way they do business is overnight shipping. “If people can wait 24 hours, we can get them virtually anything,” Fred Burke says. A game-changer, the internet also affected how people shopped because of the world of options it opened up. Even so, Burke has seen firsthand how customers want to touch, try on and see how a piece looks to decide if it meets their expectations.
But for all the updates to the business, one constant is the Burkes’ desire to build relationships with customers, many of whom are multi-generational. “Often, their parents and grandparents shopped here,” he explains. “To us, customers aren’t a wallet, they’re a friend and a supporter.”
That’s because the nature of jewelry sales is frequently tied to gift giving, which still requires a personal touch. “Relationships have set us apart since my parents owned the store,” he says. The staff reaches out to their customers to make suggestions for customers’ birthdays and important holidays.
Interest in custom jewelry, often created from heirloom or inherited pieces, has increased dramatically. Burke’s son Justin has been trained to make custom pieces, which involves weaving in new ideas with old stones to create what the customer envisions.
Custom work has undergone a technological shift, too. Computer-assisted design means that rather than handing a customer a drawing of his concept, Justin can show them exactly what the piece will look like. That’s important, he says, because people don’t want their special engagement ring to look like their cousin’s special engagement ring.
“There’s a lot of back and forth between the designer and the customer to get it just right,” Burke says of repurposing and resetting.
This anniversary is a big deal, with Burkes Jewelry planning a celebration befitting a half century in business. See details below.
“Fifty years after my parents bought the business, we wouldn’t be here without the support of the community.”
burkesjewelers.com · 804-435-1302