Paris Jewellers on Managing 23 Stores, Their JCK Experience, and More
This history of Paris Jewellers dates back to 1987, when a young couple opened a jewelry and repair store in Alberta, Canada. After immigrating from Vietnam two years prior with two small daughters in tow, the family worked tirelessly to grow their business. And grow it did—from one store to two, two to five, five to twenty-three.
That business is Paris Jewellers, and those young daughters—Chau Lui and Trang Wong—are now co-owners of the family business, headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta.
The Canadian retail chain offers a range of jewelry, from the most up-to-date fashion pieces to engagement rings that can be customized on its website.
Below, the sisters share with JCK some of their experience with the latest show in Las Vegas, how they manage to stock 23 stores, and more.
How many times have you visited the JCK Show? What made this year different from events past?
Our company has visited the JCK show over 12 times! What made JCK 2023 so different was the intention behind everything. From the show floor to the education—especially the education. The JCK team was very in tune with information and education that is relevant to our industry.
You have 23 locations. What does that mean for how you stock your stores? Is there a uniform formula or does it differ by location? And how do you shop when you're at a show like JCK?
With 23 locations in four provinces across Canada, it is vital that we plan in advance and rely on data to make our buying decisions that will result in having the products that are relevant to our customers. We have an overall high-level formula for all stores, but we will drill down to specific stores as each store has a different customer base. JCK is a great show for us in terms of meeting with our long-term vendor partners to continue to grow our businesses together. It is also a really great opportunity to learn about new trends and offers the possibility of connecting with potential new vendor partners.
What were some of your favorite/most memorable things you saw at this year's show? What were you most excited to take back to the stores?
Our team always travels early to attend the JCK Talks sessions. We always find that there are so many useful takeaways, sometimes just that one great idea that we can take back and execute going into our busiest season. In 2023 the keynote speech from Johnny Cupcakes was truly inspiring. Our team learned a lot in terms of what it takes to build a strong retail brand and create a loyal customer base.
What looks to be the biggest jewelry trend this fall? Does it differ by location or is there one clear winner?
There are so many exciting trends for fall this year! What we took away was personalization, which aligns with what Paris Jewellers believes as a company—that every time we wear a piece of jewelry, we hold that moment or milestone close to our hearts. Customers are wanting meaningful pieces of jewelry that represent the most important moments in their life.
How are you preparing for the holiday season? It's coming up fast!
We plan for the holiday season a year in advance. Right now, we are in full execution mode! We start with the end in mind and ask ourselves: What would our customers love to receive during the holidays? We think in terms of a gift-giver and a self-purchaser. Our decisions are always based on what works for our customer! That’s how we start, and then we create a plan for how we will make that come to life in our retail stores and online.