By Tierney King Hometown News Group | 0 comments
After many frantic calls from customers wondering whether or not Skalitzky’s Jewelers was closing or retiring, owners Bill and Jane Skalitzky have finally settled into their new Skalitzky’s Jewelers home at 401 O’Keeffe Ave.
From below the sparkling chandelier in their new abode, Bill Skalitzky spoke for both himself and Jane about being ecstatic about the move and the new doors that have been opened for them.
“We’re very pleased,” Skalitzky said. “It’s turned out wonderful.”
Their loyal customers have remained devoted and their new location has brought in many passersby.
“Our new customer volume has picked up substantially,” Skalitzky said. “We have a lot of new faces, which is what you want.”
The store has not only opened up the doors for new customers but also for technology advancements, an added
gift line and additional opportunities for the jewelers to engage the community.
Their business has not slowed and with technology advancements progressing, the Skalitzkys jumped on the bandwagon. They hope to expand their engraving and purchase newer computerized equipment.
“Now that we have the room, we can have new technology for building and designing,” he said. “There is engraving that’s computerized. We tell it what to do, and it can engrave all day long.”
Right now their engraving is limited to certain sizes and fonts manually engraved on jewelry.
The Skalitzkys are also considering the purchase of a monitor which would be used to show customers custom designs and give more of a grasp of how, for example, a ring might look before a purchase is made. The computer has the ability to spin the ring around on the screen so the customer can see all aspects of the piece.
“It’s a building machine that actually builds the models. We design it, but it builds it,” Skalitzky said. “We are in discussion with the company right now.” Although technology allows for slack, Bill Skalitzky said the store’s dedication to a piece of jewelry will not diminish.
“We’re jewelers first and designers second,” he said. “That’s what separates us. We’re not interested in just making a piece. We want you to have that piece the rest of your life.”
They are indulging in technological advances, but Jane Skalitzky said she is most excited about a lifetime goal that has been fulfilled.
“Her dream was the gem and mineral gallery upstairs,” Bill Skalitzky said.
In their previous West Main Street location, there was no room to open up a gift line. Now with 1,700 more square feet upstairs, Skalitzky’s Jewelers can lead customers to the gem and mineral gift shop.
The gallery displays offer a wide array of crystals, gems and stones, but a unique addition is the Himalayan Salt, which doubles as an attractive lamp and natural air purifier.
“Slowly but surely we’re adding to the gem and mineral gift line,” Bill Skalitzky said.
The second floor not only provides space for the gift line but for other office space and a future work bench for the dedicated jewelers.
Bill Skalitzky said room is being made for a laboratory for gems.
“If a customer finds a piece of turquoise and needs it cut, I’ll have that all in one room, eventually,” he said. Some of the machinery is located at their home because they were previously limited on space. Now an entire work bench will be designated just for cutting gems.
Their new space has also provided room for a private viewing and showing room. If customers would like to see their jewelry in private and discuss it, they can.
All the additions make Skalitzky’s Jewelers unique to the market, but there is one aspect that sets them apart: Service to the community. The Skalitzkys have an entire list of organizations they donate to, but they limit it to groups such as churches and youth groups and every now and then a special cause.
“We give to a lot of people,” Skalitzky said. “We donate all the time, but if we donated to everyone, we’d be broke.”
They also open up their store for tours. They have given tours to the Girl Scouts and separate the girls by their birthdays to give them an individual experience.
“We take them to the case that would have their birthstone and describe what each stone means and how it got to be for that date,” Skalitzky said. “The Girl Scouts really like it.”
The girls also are provided a piece of ruff, a real emerald or ruby that is inexpensive and make a pendant from it. The kids are then able to take home a piece of jewelry that they made themselves.
“We love giving projects for kids to work on,” Skalitzky said.
The kids also get a private tour in the back section to view the machinery and process of how a piece of jewelry is made, how a watch is fixed and more.
In addition, they have done demonstrations for schools and civic groups. Bill Skalitzky said that some civic groups will have a get together and eat while he cuts a stone. The group can chat and watch him while he nimbly moves the stone in his veteran fingers, transforming the stone before their eyes.
“When they’re done eating, I have a pretty little stone to show,” he said.
The Skalitzkys enjoy integrating the community into their business. This process may seem unique to some people, an entourage of children and diamonds, but the Skalitzkys take advantage of their new space to provide entertainment and education to the Sun Prairie community.
In their old space, if a tour simply stepped in the door, that would be the entirety of the tour, Bill Skalitzky said. Spin around in a tight circle, and the group saw all he had to offer, Skalitzky noted.
Now they can be more involved.
“We do this stuff to be part of the community and give back,” Skalitzky said. “We’re thankful for everyone that comes through here.”