Son, 14, joins father in business
Written by Duane Ramsey | | news@toledofreepress.comAnthony Bruno is following his father Stanley Bruno in the jewelry business at the young age of 14.
Anthony is working with his father at J. Foster Jewelers located in The Shops at Fallen Timbers in Maumee where Stanley is a managing partner of the business.
“I would like to attend the Gemological Institute of America to learn the jewelry business and open my own jewelry store one day,” said Anthony, who has been working about 20 hours per week at the store during the holiday season.
He may be an eighth grader at St. Patrick’s of Heatherdowns School but he already knows he wants to pursue a career in the jewelry business. First, he plans to attend St. John’s Jesuit High School in Toledo next year.
He said his interest in jewelry started in his younger years, but became serious when he started working with his father at the store this year.
Anthony and Stanley Bruno.
Anthony has been selling Pandora bracelets and necklaces to customers at J. Foster Jewelers. The line offers gold and sterling silver bracelets and necklaces with more than 1,500 different beads or charms to satisfy the individual tastes of teens to senior citizens.
The silver base bracelet starts at $55, the gold at $1,300, the necklaces from $100 with charms selling for $25 and up.
“Anthony sells a lot of those bracelets that are the modern day charm bracelet,” Stanley said. “We started him out in the Pandora jewelry so he can work his way up to diamonds.”
“I usually start up a conversation about their interests and offer a few suggestions for charms,” Anthony said. “Women are usually buying for themselves and men are buying for women.”
“The colorful beads and charms put life into the bracelets and necklaces. People usually begin with one to three charms on a bracelet,” he said.
The beads include gemstones, glass, wood, gold and silver with a special pink bead for breast cancer, crosses and the Star of David for religious charms, and a selection of Christmas charms including a drum, gift package, sleigh, snowman and Santa.
The necklaces are often sold as a follow-up to the bracelets, Anthony said. He suggests starting with a larger colored bead with silver or gold ones on either side for a symmetrical look on a necklace.
They also sell other Pandora jewelry that matches the bracelets and necklaces.
“The Pandora jewelry is doing very well for us along with the traditional diamond tennis bracelet, stud earrings and watches as holiday gifts this year,” Stanley said.
“Watches are a passion of mine so I enjoy selling them,” said Anthony, who has about 12 different watches that he wears for different occasions.
Anthony recommends the Swiss brand of Movado men’s and women’s watches which range in price from $500 to $4,000. They also carry Bulova’s Accutron limited edition watch that sells for $4,000.
Away from jewelry and his school studies, he enjoys boating with his father and flying with his uncle who is a pilot. Anthony traveled alone to Los Angeles this summer to visit his cousin there and accompanied his family on a trip to the Bahamas.
Stanley said he is proud that his son wants to follow him in the jewelry business. He is teaching Anthony about selling jewelry from his years of experience.
“Business has been very good for us going into the holidays this year,” said Stanley, who usually works 12-hour days at this time of year.
J. Foster Jewelers operates the store at Fallen Timbers and one at Westfield Franklin Park Shopping Center in Toledo. The retailer is offering its 2010 Holiday Collection, an assortment of contemporary and fine jewelry for a sale in its stores and online catalog at the website www.jfosterjewelers.com.
Tags: Anthony Bruno, Fallen Timbers, J. Foster Jewelers, Stanley Bruno
