The Amrhein family operates two stores in
the Roanoke, Va., area that specialize in
all aspects of the bridal experience.
From the engagement ring that starts the
wedding process to the honeymoon that brings
the big event to a close, Amrhein's provides
its customers with everything they could
possibly need for their once-in-a-lifetime
event, all under one roof."We've had the
bridal and jewelry combination for about six
years now," says Russ Amrhein, a third
generation bench jeweler in the family
business.
The retailer's unique store
style is a thing of lore, both in Roanoke
and beyond, sometimes bringing customers
from all around the country.
"We even had
a group of women come in from Texas,"
Amrhein says.
The Amrhein family business
began in 1921 as a manufacturing jeweler.
The transition to retail jewelry sales
occurred in the 1950s after Amrhein's father
returned from World War II.
But the jump
from jeweler to full-service bridal
showplace was not one that the family had
planned. The retailer had a
well-located, free-standing store at its
disposal, but the location's 65,000 square
feet of space was too much for jewelry
alone.
"We hired a consultant and told him
that we wanted a complementary business to
fill the remaining space not occupied by the
jewelry counters," Amrhein explains.
The
consultant conducted some research and
returned with the idea that would make
Amrhein's unique: add a bridal department.
The Amrheins had no experience with selling
clothing, much less formalwear, but that
didn't stop them.
"We hired people who
knew the [clothing] business," Amrhein says.
Studies show that most brides will shop at
store after store until they find the one
that has the gown styles, selection and
sales associates that they feel most
comfortable with.
"They end up doing
something like 80% of their business at that
one store," Amrhein says. With even
more choices under one roof, Amrhein's was
bound to reap even more jewelry benefits
when it became a bridal destination store.
Those benefits have been evident.
Sales of wedding bands have quadrupled since
the store expanded its selections six years
ago, not to mention the sales of jewelry
gifts for bridesmaids and groomsmen,
Amrhein says.
But attracting brides isn't
the only way that Amrhein's has achieved
success in its multi-format stores.
High
school proms have brought potential
long-term customers into the store at an
earlier age than would be found at most
jewelers. These girls come in for prom
dresses at 16, 17 and 18 years of age.
If
they're happy, they'll come back, often as
lucrative jewelry customers who are shopping
for engagement rings in just a few short
years, according to Amrhein.
Like all
retailers, Amrhein's is always looking for
new ways to expand and enliven the business.
Russ Amrhein says that they have
occasionally considered adding tabletop
merchandise, a traditional jeweler's staple,
to the product assortment. But after
discussing the option with other jewelers,
Amrhein has decided to avoid the category,
at least for now.
Another potential
addition to the Amrhein's mix is a
Victoria's Secret-style lingerie collection.
"We are in a conservative area of Virginia,
though, so I'm not quite sure we're ready
for that," Amrhein says with a chuckle.
Overall, the Amrhein family is pleased with
the transition from jeweler to bridal
destination store.
"We are very pleased
with the traffic we've had. On a
Saturday afternoon we regularly have 30 to
40 people in our store. I doubt there
are many other jewelers who can say the same
thing," Amrhein says.
Perhaps the greatest
benefit of owning a multi-format store is a
more regular cash flow throughout the year,
Amrhein says.
While jewelers typically
generate the bulk of their business in
February, May, June, November and December,
the formal wear end of the business does
well in March, April, June, September and
October, ensuring that Amrhein's will always
see a steady flow of traffic through its
doors.
