Mid-America JewelryNNews S UTHERN JEWELRY EWS
JEWELRY ewelry NEWS ews • DECEMBER ecember 2023
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Serving the Jewelry Industry in America’s Heartland
“A Newspaper Dedicated to the Southern Jewelry Industry” www.midamericajewelrynews.com
Vol 36 No. 12
VOL 22 NO. 12
December 2023
DECEMBER 2023
Wirt’s BankingJewelers on Success Love at first Jewelers: solder, Graham turns 20
By Wanda Freeman lost both legs below the knee to er to the store and sleeping on the It’s paradoxical how I fell in love with it and decided, if this is By Paul Holewa frostbite during his 10-day captivfloor in the showcase covers. the profession thought what I am going to do, I want to be the best Honoring tradition and emity. His rehab program introduced “I grew up with a lot of inof the least becomes the most likely career in my field.” bracing change go hand in hand terest in the bench - watching him to watch and jewelry repair. path in life. That was the case for Chris Chris worked his way up the food at Wirt’s Jewelers, where third- my uncle, the other jewelers, the Back in the states, Wirt marGraham, owner of Wayzata, Minnesotachain at various retail jewelry stores. ried wife Phyllis at 19 and comgeneration ownership means watchmakers, and playing with based Graham Jewelers. After high school Learning along the way, he took in whatpleted his education in horology keeping the vision and the books the tools.” he wanted to work as a nutritionist for a pro ever practical wisdom and practical experithrough the VA. He was just 21 in balance. Kelli Mayfield - who Despite that early fascinacycling team. Instead a friend steered him ences - mostly good, but some bad - could when they opened their first store owns and operates Wirt’s in North tion, Mayfield went on to pursue toward retail jewelry sales. Years later he teach him. At a high-end jewelry store in and daughter Cindy was born. Little Rock, Arkansas, with hus- a degree in special education - unopened his own store. an affluent first-tier suburb of Minneapolis The store didn’t pan out, and they band Lance - took the long way til the program changed. Perhaps it was the crunch of granola Chris hit a brick wall. The sales environclosed it - but Wirt’s dream perhome before finding her place in “My uncle had gotten out or the grinding noise of derailleurs, but ment was highly competitive. Management sisted. He took a job as a foreman jewelry retailing. But signing up of the business by then. I was in the nutritionist for bikers opportunities had high expectations. And, Chris was at US Time Corp., and in 1964, for the RJO Next Gen Experience limbo with my school program, never came to fruition. After a year-plus working too hard to meet those demands. opened another store. Phyllis, a helped solidify her path. and Mom asked me to come work into college Chris punched out. He met “If I was going to work this hard I seamstress, collected repairs all “I literally grew up in the for her. … There came a sense of up with Chad Strei, a friend who offered might as well do it for myself,” Chris says. day while Sedric worked at the business,” Mayfield says. When pride and desire to grow someChris a job at Patterson Diamond Center Wirt’s Jewelers 3rd generation Kelli Mayfield with husband Lance. Once again Chris was at a career plant. she was kindergarten age, her thing my family had built. I later in Hutchinson, Minnesota – a rural town crossroads in life. He looked at options “He would come home, eat mother, Cindy Rouse, began to met my husband, and life just fell in the jewelry business. “Seven Sedric Wirt, who served in the roughly 70 miles west of Minneapolis. outside of the jewelry industry first. Then years now, working together, and Korean War as one of the “Cho- dinner, and head back to the shop work at one of the family’s two into place.” “They made a lot of their own jewelry he assembled a personal team of advisors sin Few,” soldiers who fought in to do repairs all night,” Mayfield jewelry stores while her uncle Thirteen years into their we still really like each other!” and taught me the bench and manufacturto help with a career path decision. After the Chosin Reservoir Campaign. says. The stores had beenGraham estab- Jewelers. managed the other location. May- marriage, Lance left his career in Wayzata, Inside Minnesota-based ing side of the business,” says Chris. “And PleasePlease see Graham page 2 2 see Wirt’s page field recalls riding with her moth- law enforcement and joined Kelli lished by Mayfield’s grandfather, Wounded and taken prisoner, Wirt
Arkansas jeweler’s photos earn gallery showing
By Kristen Baird
Recently, I wrote a piece for Southern and Mid-America Jewelry News about The Importance of Having Patience and Compassion in Your Jewelry Business. In that piece, I outlined how essential it is to be sensitive and flexible to clients going through challenging times, especially through the holidays. However, I also wrote that it’s important to set boundaries and remember that you can’t be everything to everyone. While it may seem that compassion and boundaries are in conflict with one another, they really go hand-in-hand. Without some form of boundary, you will find yourself burning out, which doesn’t serve you, your clients, or your loved ones. Here are my tips for setting boundaries with your clients, while still leaving plenty of room for patience and compassion:
By Paul Holewa Hobbies and interests have defining qualities along with chosen professions. For Craig Underwood, president of Underwood’s Fine Jewelers, photography has gone from a hobby in his late teens to professional, galleryworthy images today. In November, Craig’s landscape photography was part of a local artists’ exhibit at a regionally renowned art gallery near his home in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Alongside the works of other photographers and local artists, Craig exhibited 15 of what he considered his best Arkansas landscape photographs on November 10, at the 12 Pedal Junction Art Gallery in nearby Springdale. “Prior to 12 Pedal Junction Gallery I have only participated in two other art exhibits, one in 2022 and in 2018,” says Craig. “These showings helped to promote local artists. Through these two previous shows I have earned some followership among art en-
How to set compassionate boundaries with clients
Craig and his trusty tripod at the Richland Creek Wilderness Area one of his favorite places to take photos. thusiasts that led to this most recent show at 12 Pedal Junction Gallery, a relatively new gallery with a large regional presence.” Craig’s evolution as a photographer started in the late 1970s when he was gifted with a Pentax K1000 by his father. Produced from 1976 to 1996 by the Asahai Optical Co. LTD., of Japan, the nearly all-metal SLR (single lens
reflex) camera was an affordable entry-level camera. In its day, the K1000 was an inexpensive work horse model that allowed Asahai to compete with Canon’s and Nikon’s F-series SLRs - cameras used almost exclusively by serious hobbyists and professionals. Exceptional optics, however, came with a catch. All of Please see Photos page 18
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Mid-America Jewelry News
Announce Deadlines Early As early early as asOctober October1st, 1st,I Isend sendoutout email to my mailing list anan email to my mailing list dedetailing holiday schedule. includes fun things like shows trunk tailing mymy holiday schedule. ThisThis includes fun things like trunk shows and promotions, also deadlines as the day tome book and promotions, but alsobut deadlines such assuch the last daylast to book for me for a commission piece for guaranteed a commission piece and the and last the daylast for day guaranteed shippingshipping in time in for Christmas. I also post these on Instagram and Facefortime Christmas. I also post these dates on dates Instagram and Facebook with book a fun reel holiday Please see Baird page 19 a funwith holiday andreel and
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