10 HOMEGROWN BUSINESSES MAKING TOWNSVILLE PROUD
LOLOMA JEWELLERS In 1958 when Graham Jackson was looking to buy his wife, Betty, a gift of jewellery he couldn’t find the quality he was after. Having just spent two years successfully managing a quality jewellery store, he decided Townsville needed a retail jeweller who could deliver quality merchandise coupled with exceptional customer service — and he’d be the one to do it. “We opened our first store in the CBD in 1959 and decided to name our business ‘Loloma’, which means love or gift in South Pacific language,” Graham says. He went on to qualify as an international gemologist, diamond grader and registered jewellery valuer. “We’re proud to have built the Hearts On Fire brand in Townsville, the most perfectly cut diamond in the world, and we’re a significant Pandora retailer,” Graham says. “We have excellent relations and product mix from Seiko, Citizen, Casio and many watch fashion brands and we excel in cultured pearl selection as we do much of our buying in Hong Kong and China. “We’ve also recently added another top diamond brand — Passion 8 — and have become a major stockist for the emerging line Endless Jewelry.” Loloma recently updated its look at Castletown and continues to evolve its Stockland store, originally a diamond-focused boutique, into a full service store. There you’ll find new brands, new categories and new showcase configuration — all to make it easier for shoppers. “We’re blessed with wonderful staff who deliver exceptional customer service,” Graham says. “Renae Catalano is our Events Manager and has been a key presence in our business for over 15 years. Her husband Angelo, at eight years, is highly regarded as our Design Manager. Greg Adamson is a talented and integral part of our team as an experienced watchmaker and Emma, Roslyn, Krystal, Tracey, Sharyn, Diane, Jennifer, Tammy, Gillian, Kathy, Hope and Jonty have been with Loloma a combined 115 years!” Loloma has worked with many community organisations that have developed and helped build Townsville into a major economic, sporting and cultural arts community. Among them are Lions, Rotary and The Salvation Army. Graham was a founding director of Townsville Enterprise, and Chairman for eight years, and Loloma is also an active supporter of the North Queensland Cowboys, Townsville Fire, and a major supporter of youth sporting programs. “I love this community and I see Townsville recovering economically, industry expanding, tourism building, quality of life increasing, culture developing and sporting teams becoming more competitive,” Graham says. “Townsville is a competitor in many arenas with greater Australia and that will only continue to emerge.” Loloma Castletown (top from left) Emma McConochie – 2 years Krystal Puntil – 10 years Greg Adamson – 2 years Renae Catalano – 15 years Tracey Minehan – 8 years Angelo Catalano – 8 years
Loloma Jewellers Castletown 4772 6865 Stockland 4775 4974 loloma@loloma.com.au www.loloma.com.au
Loloma Stockland (bottom from left) Hope Johnstone – 6 years Sharyn Garrett – 23 years Tammy Hiscox – 12 years Roslyn Flanagan – 1½ years Diane Nicol – 12 years
26 DUO MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2015 duomagazine.com.au
“TOWNSVILLE IS A COMPETITOR IN MANY ARENAS WITH GREATER AUSTRALIA AND THAT WILL ONLY CONTINUE TO EMERGE.” GRAHAM JACKSON