AuctionsApr 04, 2025
25-Carat Burmese Sapphire Brooch Sells for $101KA pink topaz Belle Époque pendant-brooch and a Victorian Egyptian Revival choker were also highlights at a recent Anderson & Garland sale.
IndependentsAug 11, 2016
About Retail: Providing an experience
Asaad Malak of Malak Jewelers in Charlotte, N.C. shares how he turns strangers into friends and first-time visitors into lifelong clients.
“When people come in, we are interested in getting to know them. They come in as a customer and leave as a friend,” Asaad Malak, owner and president of Malak Jewelers in Charlotte, told National Jeweler.
Malak, whose jewelry store has been in business since 1980, opened his new 5,000-square-foot location last December in Charlotte’s Arboretum Shopping Center, which is directly across the street from his former store.
The new location offers a display area four times the size of the former store, allowing the retailer to carry more inventory and additional brands.
The larger store also has a seating area for clients to get comfortable while working with staff on a custom design or while they wait for repairs. A children’s area is stocked with a play set and toys to keep young guests occupied while the adults shop, and all customers are offered beverages and snacks--pretzels, crackers, coffee, water and even wine “for those over 21,” Malak laughs.
“(The new store) is more roomy, open and inviting,” the jeweler says. “It’s much brighter and there’s more space for events.”
There’s also an emphasis on custom design at the new location, consisting of an expanded workshop and expert in-house goldsmith to allow for full design and manufacturing, including wax mold making. These added features tend to make customers “stay longer, as they find it interesting that they can watch,” Malak says.
Aside from the revamped layout of the store, the way customers are treated is Malak’s main focus, and is the reason people come back or refer the jewelry store to friends and family, he says.
For example, if a man comes in looking for an engagement ring, the staff asks questions first. What color gold does she like? What shape diamond? Does she work on a computer, in the medical field or with children? Then maybe she doesn’t want a high ring with prongs, maybe she’d prefer a bezel- or other lower-set ring.
But it doesn’t end there, Malak explains.
“We
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
congratulate them, ask about the proposal and their relationship, find out how they met,” he says. “We ask about their personal life, and help to find what she would like and want. This is something that’s very important to every customer. We’re part of this great experience that stays with them a lifetime, and (if we do well) they’ll come back again and again.
“We are making friends and growing families, in a way. They might not remember what I said five years from now, but they’ll remember how I made them feel.”
Malak says this practice also cuts down on returns.
“People don’t come back to me a week later because they don’t like something, or because they can’t afford it, because I took the time to find out what they wanted and what worked,” he says, adding that the business offers financing solutions for customers.
When asked why he puts such a focus on the experience of his store, Malak’s answer was simple and sensible.
“This is how I like to be treated when I shop somewhere. I don’t like to be sold merchandise, I like choices, space and time. The experience applies to this,” he says. “My father told me to treat people for who they are, to make friends and they will buy from you. So I tell them, ‘Welcome to the family.’”
More on Independents
The Latest
SourcingApr 04, 2025
Mason-Kay Jade to Hold Inaugural International Jade SummitThe event, which will co-locate with the Monterey Bay Jade Festival, will bring education sessions focused on jade to the United States.
CollectionsApr 04, 2025
Piece of the Week: Heather B. Moore’s ‘Lily of the Valley’ CharmThe charm is a celebration of springtime as April showers bring May flowers with the piece’s cluster of diamond raindrops.
Brought to you by
The Heart of the Industry: Giving Bench Jewelers the Recognition They DeserveBench jewelers spend years honing their skills, Jewelers of America’s Certification validates their talents.
SurveysApr 03, 2025
2025 Retail Sales to Grow More Slowly Amid ‘Uncertainty,’ Says NRFThe National Retail Federation expects retail sales growth to return to pre-pandemic levels as consumers continue to face inflation.
Weekly QuizApr 03, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
TrendsApr 03, 2025
Tallulah Willis Imbues Antique Engagement Ring With MagicThe 4-carat, old mine brilliant-cut diamond engagement ring was co-designed by Willis and New York City-based brand Karina Noel.
SourcingApr 03, 2025
Canadian Mine Produces 158-Carat Yellow Diamond Rio Tinto unearthed the diamond at its Diavik mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories.
Brought to you by
Natural Diamonds Should Mean MoreNatural diamonds mean more than lab-grown, but when every cut is ideal, they all look the same. Customers want more—Facets of Fire delivers.
CollectionsApr 03, 2025
Buccellati to Open Immersive Exhibition in MilanThe multisensory experience, open April 8-13, will feature the brand’s silver creations among dream-like scenes of natural landscapes.
Policies & IssuesApr 03, 2025
Jewelers of America to Hold Webinar on TariffsThe virtual event will take place April 7 at 3 p.m.
CollectionsApr 02, 2025
Bea Bongiasca’s ‘Tarallo’ Collection Expansion Is a ZooThe pieces in “Animali Tarallo” portray animals from stingrays to elephants through portraits and interpretations of their patterns.
MajorsApr 02, 2025
Neiman Marcus’ Dallas Flagship Will Remain Open, For NowParent company Saks Global said the iconic location will be open through the holiday season as it decides what to do with the space.
SourcingApr 02, 2025
Winston’s Collection of Natural Color Diamonds Now on Display in D.C. Ronald Winston, son of Harry Winston, donated the diamonds to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
Events & AwardsApr 02, 2025
Punchmark to Host Client WorkshopThe educational event will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, this May.
MajorsApr 01, 2025
QVC Group to Cut 900 Jobs in the U.S.The layoffs come amid the TV shopping channel’s efforts to restructure and focus on live shopping through social media.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2025
U.S. Antique Shows Adds Fall Show in FloridaThe debut event will take place in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood this fall.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2025
TJS to Host Discussion on Jewelry Industry’s Labor ShortageThe roundtable will take place May 17 ahead of the trade show’s welcome dinner.
CollectionsApr 01, 2025
Monica Rich Kosann Says ‘Good Grief’ in Peanuts Jewelry CollectionThe “Peanuts x Monica Rich Kosann” collection features the comic strip’s classic vocabulary across 10 bracelet designs.
Recorded WebinarsMar 31, 2025
Watch: What Do We Mean When We Say ‘Recycled’ Gold?Three industry experts dive into the complexities of the material often marketed as an “ethical” alternative for metal in jewelry.
TrendsMar 31, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Dripping in DiamondsDiamonds are not only one of the most prominent gemstones, but the birthstone for those born in April.
MajorsMar 31, 2025
Lashbrook Expands Into Luxury Golf Gifts With AcquisitionThe Utah-based company known for making wedding bands has acquired Doubloon Golf.
WatchesMar 31, 2025
Bulgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin Will Also Head LVMH WatchesThe longtime luxury executive led one of LVMH’s watch brands, TAG Heuer, for 12 years before taking over Bulgari in 2013.
CrimeMar 28, 2025
2 Suspects Arrested in $1.7M Smash-and-Grab Robbery of NY Jewelry StoreAuthorities said the robbers fled with jewelry and 70 Rolex watches, later taking pictures of themselves posing with big stacks of cash.
SourcingMar 28, 2025
19th-Century Jade Book Now Available in EnglishLotus Gemology founder Richard W. Hughes has translated Heinrich Fischer’s 1880 book “Nephrit und Jadeit” from its original German.
CollectionsMar 28, 2025
Piece of the Week: Löf’s ‘The Valentine’ RingThe ring's design features contrasting lines influenced by work from architecture-inspired photographer Nikola Olic.
SurveysMar 27, 2025
Consumer Confidence Falls in March Amid ‘Gloomy’ OutlookThe Conference Board’s index fell as consumers continued to worry about the impact of tariffs, the labor market, and the price of eggs.
AuctionsMar 27, 2025
300-Year-Old Ring Linked to Witch Trial Judge Goes Unsold at Auction However, two medieval jewels surpassed estimates at Noonans Mayfair’s recent jewelry auction in London.
