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Retiring Owners of Bernie Robbins Jewelers Give Stores to Employees

‘Instead of trying to find a qualified buyer, why not give it to people that are successfully running it now?’

Published

7 days ago

November 29, 2023

INSTORE Staff

The owners of Bernie Robbins Jewelers are retiring and handing over their stores to a group of employees.

Harvey and Madeleine Rovinsky have run the business, which has stores in Villanova and Newtown, PA, and Somers Point, NJ, for 57 years, The Press of Atlantic City reported. The business was by Madeleine Rovinsky’s father, Bernie Robbins, in 1962.

The exact ownership group remains to be determined, according to the newspaper.

Without a family succession plan, the couple considered selling the business. Eventually, “We said, ‘You know, this has been right in front of our faces all this time. Instead of trying to find a qualified buyer, why not give it to people that are successfully running it now?'” Harvey Rovinsky told Fox Business.

He plans to continue with the business as CEO, CBS News Philadelphia reported.

A retirement sale is underway. The transfer is set to take place next quarter.

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When There’s No Succession Plan, Call Wilkerson

Bob Wesley, owner of Robert C. Wesley Jewelers in Scottsdale, Ariz., was a third-generation jeweler. When it was time to enjoy life on the other side of the counter, he weighed his options. His lease was nearing renewal time and with no succession plan, he decided it was time to call Wilkerson. There was plenty of inventory to sell and at first, says Wesley, he thought he might try to manage a sale himself. But he’s glad he didn’t. “There’s no way I could have done this as well as Wilkerson,” he says. Wilkerson took responsibility for the entire event, with every detail — from advertising to accounting — done, dusted and managed by the Wilkerson team. “It’s the complete package,” he says of the Wilkerson method of helping jewelers to easily go on to the next phase of their lives. “There’s no way any retailer can duplicate what they’ve done.”