Diamonds may be forever, but when jeweler Doug Meadows opened his first shop after working years in the trade, he realized retail did not hold a similar promise. Fortunately, a close partnership with the University of Georgia’s Small Business Development Center (UGA SBDC) is helping Meadows and his Marietta store, David Douglas Diamonds & Jewelry, celebrate 100 years as a family jewelry store beloved in its community, with his son Joseph preparing to lead it next.
Meadows’ grandfather, Art, opened a wholesale jewelry repair and ring-sizing business in Detroit in 1926. His father, Glenn, took over the business in the early 1960s, and Doug apprenticed under him in the 1970s. After moving to Atlanta in the 1980s, Meadows opened his first retail jewelry store at Cumberland Mall.
Meadows met Drew Tonsmeire, now area director of the UGA SBDC at Kennesaw State University, a few years later. Tonsmeire — as a favor to a neighbor — was delivering light fixtures to Meadows’ second location. They began talking about the UGA SBDC, and Meadows was sold.
“I couldn’t believe what they offered, and that they did it for free,” he said. “I was in desperate need of consulting advice. I knew how to make jewelry but didn’t know the business side of things.”
They worked together on a financial analysis to see where Meadows could improve profitability. He was considering a new location, so they worked together on a market analysis.
“The location he decided on would be more expensive, but it would also offer a better profile of his customer base,” Tonsmeire said. “The spending demographics were better. That’s a major decision when you’re already well-known and moving to a different neighborhood. We then helped him coordinate that move.”
“I don’t think anybody recognizes the depth of data and information the SBDC can make available to them,” Meadows said. “Through his work with us, Drew kept encouraging me to ask him anything. He helped me look thoroughly at the area proposed. He gave me the confidence to make that move, which turned out to be extremely successful for us. Pivotal.”
Two years later, the business adjacent to his store went out of business. The landlord asked Meadows if he wanted to expand. The new space would double his shop’s size.
“I wasn’t sure how to make it all work,” he said. “So, Drew and I looked at our expenses and sales. He showed how the expansion could be successful. It gave me the confidence to expand, and doing so has been an incredible thing for us.”
Meadows’ sales have grown six-fold since he and Tonsmeire began working together. Employment has grown from two to 12.
Joseph Meadows, Doug’s son, has been custom designing jewelry for the store since he was 15. He attended UGA SBDC’s GrowSmart course while studying business at Kennesaw State University in 2016. Now, he manages sales for the store while his wife, Regan, manages marketing.
“GrowSmart was a mind shift for me,” Joseph said. “Before that, I was just working in the business. After listening to the speakers and talking to other small business owners, I realized I had to look deeper into everything it takes to run it.”
As Doug and Joseph transition ownership, Tonsmeire continues to work with them on various aspects of their family business.
“The SBDC is like a hidden gem. It’s one of the best tools a business owner can invest in and use. It’s that good.”
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