Robbins Brothers Eyeing Expansion, Adds New VP of Stores
CEO Marc Friedant discusses what’s next for the jewelry chain following management’s move to buy it back from a private equity firm.

The chain’s management team recently bought the business from private equity firm Comvest Partners following its sale in 2009 as part of bankruptcy proceedings.
While private equity firms can focus heavily on sales, the management team’s new partnership with Houston-based investment firm Main Street Capital Corporation is expected to be more beneficial to both parties, Friedant said in an interview with National Jeweler.
“It was very critical that we were able to find a partner where that’s not their model. They are going to be much more patient, much more supportive, and more of a financial partner than a private equity owner. That will allow us, we believe, to execute our strategy and our vision.”
The chain currently operates 15 stores in Arizona, California, Texas, and Washington, but is considering an expansion.
Robbins Brothers hasn’t opened a new store since 2015, when it expanded into Scottsdale, Arizona.
“What we want to do, where appropriate, is to expand our number of doors,” said Friedant.
“And I’m not suggesting we go from 15 to some gigantic number, but that we grow in areas where we have demonstrated success, where we believe there is an opportunity for incremental doors to support the demand, and that may be in markets we’re in today or markets that are next to where we are today.”
The company is looking to identify a market where it can satisfy customer demand without cannibalizing itself, he explained.
“We’re either going to do it by opening a new store or, possibly where appropriate, buying an existing store and making it a Robbins Brothers.”
To support its new vision, the company has been changing up its executive team.
Robbins Brothers has added Ann-Marie Patton as its new vice president of stores.
Mark Pimental, who formerly held the role, is no longer with the company, said Friedant.
Prior to joining Robbins Brothers, Patton spent most of her career at Signet Jewelers, where she served as vice president of North America for the Kay Division and as divisional vice president of North America for Jared and the design and service center divisions.
“Ann-Marie brings far more than experience to our team,” said Friedant in a press release about the appointment.
“She also brings a belief that engaged team members are key to delivering consistent and unparalleled in-store customer experiences, which ultimately leads to exceptional sales performance and team member and customer loyalty.”
Patton said, “We all bring a deep expertise in our own areas of the industry and importantly, we are all innovators by nature and look forward to putting our individual strengths into a collective power to grow and evolve the Robbins Brothers brand.”
Friedant hand-picked Patton as part of his strategy of choosing leaders who can bring “innovation, experience, and a dedication to customer service to the team,” he said in the release.
The traits he looks for include understanding the changing consumer and an ability to collaborate.
Merchandising, marketing, and store operations need to work together seamlessly, said Friedant, who has built up a leadership team designed to meet that goal.
She previously served as the chief marketing officer for Alex and Ani and Ultra Diamonds in Chicago, and also held vice president roles at Jared the Galleria of Jewelry and Kay Jewelers.
And Robbins Brothers welcomed Sue Hopeman as vice president of merchandising in 2019.
Hopeman brought more than 20 years of merchandising experience, including 14 years at Zale Corp. where she was named president of Gordon’s Jewelers, a division of Zale at the time.
The Latest

The online watch marketplace’s “Time Is Our Thing” campaign highlights the importance of time.

She will oversee strategic planning, fundraising, industry partnerships, and the launch of the Gem Legacy Campus in Tanzania.

Working with Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit and law enforcement, Pandora helped to shut down a large-scale counterfeit network in China.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

The jewelry company has closed its three California brick-and-mortar stores, as well as its online shop, for now.


The company is providing the opportunity for an FIT student to work alongside master diamond cutter Willie Lopez in its workshop.

He is remembered for his successful entrepreneurship, generosity, and dedication to his family.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

The jewelry store chain has reportedly been struggling with costs related to tariffs as well as tough retail competition.

Welcome warm summer days with red hot rubies perfectly chosen as July’s birthstone.

Co-founders Afzal Imram and Lin Ruiyin brought their son’s story of a cosmic egg, toadstool, and railroad to life in their new collection.

The best time to prepare for the holiday season is right now, according to columnist Emmanuel Raheb.

This year’s winner is Morgan Keefe, who is currently studying at GIA to be a gemologist.

“The Jewelry Book” comes out this September.

The company is focused on modernizing the custom jewelry buying experience with e-commerce tools like product visualization and 3D styling.

Following its recent acquisition, the storied brand has updated its leadership team and regional managers.

AGS also named the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.

The 20-karat yellow gold and diamond wrap ring is modeled after the Monstera plants in the garden of the brand’s Miami villa.

Rocksbox President Allison Vigil shared the retailer’s expansion plans, and her thoughts on opening stores in malls.

The creator of the WJA Chicago chapter is remembered as a champion for women in the jewelry industry and a loving grandmother.

The decline was consistent across age groups and almost all income groups, with tariffs and inflation still top of mind.

The “Playlist: Electric Dreams” collection brings lyrics from the musician’s song, “Little Wing,” to life through fine jewelry.

The event is set for May 16-19 in Detroit, Michigan.

The Vault’s Katherine Jetter is accusing the retailer of using info she shared for a potential partnership to move into Nantucket.

Agents seized 2,193 pieces, a mix of counterfeit Cartier “Love” and “Juste Un Clou” bracelets, and Van Cleef & Arpels’ “Alhambra” design.

The designer brought her children’s book, “The Big Splash Circus,” to life through a collection of playful fine jewelry characters.

The trade association has chosen the recipients of the funding initiative it formed to foster the growth and sustainability of the industry.