Custom Creations are a Specialty of Jewelers John and Rita Wade
business, jewelry, retail, wade designs jewelry,
Jewelry lovers who want a hand-engraved piece of art rather than a run-of-the-mill bracelet or ring don’t have to look far. John and Rita Wade have quite a selection at their store‚ Wade Designs Jewelry‚ in Rocky Mount.
John Wade‚ a goldsmith for 30 years‚ is the creative force behind the jewelry. His wife‚ Rita‚ the Chamber of Commerce’s 2006 Small Business Woman of the Year‚ provides the business know-how. The company‚ which opened in 2005‚ saw its sales rise 67 percent in 2006.
Wade Designs Jewelry‚ on Zebulon Road‚ is a full-service jewelry store‚ but John Wade’s original hand-engraved jewelry is the biggest draw. Some of the more popular pieces are rings with colored stones‚ such as honey or blue zircon‚ and a sterling silver cuff bracelet that is engraved with scrollwork.
“It looks like it’s covered in diamonds when I’m done‚” he says.
Customer service is important to the Wades. “The only way to stay in business is to know how to attract and keep your customers‚ by serving them in every way we can‚” Rita Wade says. “Your customer service has to be not just good‚ but unbelievable.”
Story by Nancy Humphrey
Photo by Ian Curcio
