B. Anthony & Co. Jewelers

Jun 12

In their own words

“In our store, it’s more like a family-owned, down-to-earth kind of vibe that people connect with. We work with people from where they’re at. They can sense that and they’re happy about it. It’s just a genuine place to come from.”

-Jeff Foster

Jason’s Interview with Jeff

Jason

We're back on Meet the Jewelers and today we're talking to Jeff Foster at B. Anthony & Co. Jewelers in San Luis Obispo. Can you tell us about the rich history of B. Anthony?

Jeff

B. Anthony & Co. has been here in San Luis Obispo, downtown on Higuera Street, for forty years. It was started by Brad Bilsten and Tony Gomez way back in the day. They started hand-making and hand-carving jewelry. We have customers that come in that bought their wedding rings thirty or forty years ago. They continue to come back, they've established relationships with us, and we're the ones that they come to for repairs, custom, and gifts. I haven't been here that long, but it's an honor to work here and be associated with a company that's established such a reputation.

+ Keep reading

Jason
What do you think has led to that successful reputation?

Jeff
Careful attention to detail and listening to what the customer wants and needs. Also, to be able to advise them, because most people aren't experts in gold, diamonds, and platinum. Being able to advise them in an honest, friendly way about what is the right way to go in the design or repair. The trust is there between us and our customers. They know we're going to do the best we can for them and listen to their needs, but also advise them what's the best way to go.

Jason
Can you talk about some of your favorite clients you’ve worked with recently and what their pieces were like?

Jeff
We had this one lady—she was going to get married in a few months and wanted us to design a wedding band to go with her solitaire. Her special request was that the wedding band fit up against the diamond solitaire in such a way that it reminded her of Minnie Mouse’s ears. She was a big Disney fan, obviously. We were able to work with her and create a wedding band that reminded her of Minnie Mouse’s ears outlined in diamonds. She and her husband got married at Disneyland in Anaheim, and they had a dream wedding that fulfilled their wishes.

Jason
Are there any fun proposal experiences that you've been part of?

Jeff
There was one—a young man took his bride-to-be out hiking. They were outdoorsy people. He took her out, but had pre-arranged to have a friend of his hide in the bushes and photograph the proposal. They were out in nature, and the young man got down on his knee and offered his proposal to the lady. His friend was hiding in the bushes taking pictures, which they later posted on Facebook. It's a good thing she said yes, I guess.

Jason
How do you guys give back to the community? Are there any causes you are a part of, or charity work you do?

Jeff
We have a budget every year and we select a couple of charities to give to. There are quite a few charities here in San Luis Obispo County, so we pick out a couple each year and contribute.

Jason
Which one is top of mind this year?

Jeff
We usually do it around December, so I don't know which one has been selected. In the past, we had a special sale and a certain percentage of sale proceeds went to the women's shelter here in San Luis Obispo County.

Jason
Describe your store for us, what is the feeling and the experience?

Jeff
It's a very welcoming place. It has a classic look and the jewelry is really thoughtfully displayed, easy to see. I think the main welcoming feature is the sales associates. They're very happy to see people, very helpful, knowledgeable, and willing to listen to what the client is interested in finding.

Jason
Can you talk through a situation where a client came in with one expectation and you gave them a better experience?

Jeff
Something that happens frequently with repairs, a person will bring in a ring that has seen a bit of wear and might be a little encrusted, with hand cream or cookie dough, or whatever. We take it in and do the repair, and in the course of repairing it, we clean it thoroughly and polish it. A lot of times when people pick up their jewelry, they'll be shocked and delighted by how sparkly the gems are or how beautifully polished the metal is. What I hear a lot is, “Wow, I haven't seen it look like this in five or ten years.”

Jason
Do you guys do a lot of reJewel work, where customers come in with heirloom pieces and you turn it into something else?

Jeff
Yeah. It's a common thing to see. The surviving members of an elderly couple come in with their dear one’s jewelry and we turn it into something that they can wear as a remembrance. We've been honored and privileged to work with those people fairly frequently and turn their loved one’s jewelry into something that they can wear, whether it's a pendant or something from a ring. Children of a couple that’s passed on come in with their parent’s jewelry and want something made especially with the diamonds that were in their parent’s jewelry. It's always a sweet, sentimental thing to be able to help these people with that.

Jason
Tell us a little bit more about how you guys are differentiated? What sets B. Anthony & Co. apart?

Jeff
The main thing is the long reputation. You know how powerful word of mouth can be, especially in a smaller town. The main thing is the reputation of forty some-odd years of dependable and honest dealings with our customers. I think everybody senses that and they're generally very happy with the end result. Also, I think that we tend to be more down-to-earth than some jewelry stores. It's a down-home family-owned vibe that people connect with. We've known some families for a couple generations. It’s a genuine place to come from.

Jason
Where do you see it going in the future—five, ten years out?

Jeff
As you know, the jewelry business is changing rapidly, so it's hard to predict. I do see that there's still a need for people to be able to come into a brick-and-mortar place and actually try something on. When you try something on, it always looks different than what you thought it would look like. Trying something on is an experience that is not replaceable. But what it will look like in ten years? I really don't know. I think there will always be a need for people to interact with each other face-to-face, to get honest advice about what to buy, or what design would work for them. The interactions with the customer might be a little bit different, they might pick out something from a vast selection available on a video screen or have a 3D printer that could print three or four samples for the customer. The technology is advancing so rapidly.

Jason
If there's a lasting statement you want to make, here's your chance to have your platform.

Jeff
It's just very simple. It's just honest, friendly people that want to help you achieve whatever it is that you desire in your piece of jewelry. The price of metals is higher than it used to be, so it's more important than ever to work with somebody that is going to help you, whether it's a ring, a pendant, pair of earrings, or anniversary gift. It's important to have a rapport with someone that's open and friendly, listening to what you want.