I recently saw a car with the license plate: WHYWRK. I had a sad feeling for the driver, who perhaps wasn’t as lucky as I to have the best job in the world – getting paid to shop for the most beautiful goods in the world – which I am now retiring from. After 40+ years as a buyer of tabletop and gifts in Buffalo, I have the opportunity to put the dishes away, polish the flatware, and store the stemware. As a small specialty store, we’ve been through our share of ups and downs but met most of the challenges that came our way.
I started at Jenss Décor almost 50 years ago as a gift wrapper. I worked my way up through the ranks until I became the buyer in the late ’70s. At the time, popular dinnerware was heavy stoneware for most days and elaborate fine china, sterling flatware, and cut crystal for special occasions. A variety of prestige brands allowed the consumer to choose from a multitude of magnificent treasures for the table. I remember thinking at the time, Who would pay $8 for a Waterford Lismore stem? It’s now $105, and still selling.
The next design trend was the minimalist all-white table and neutral tones, Scandinavian and German in design, and still popular today. Then came cows and chickens, followed by artisanal goods. We jumped on that trend and even opened an annex shop devoted to mostly American-made merchandise handcrafted by artists that we found at shows in Philly and Baltimore. Fast forward to today’s sustainable generation, concerned with the environmental impact and shifting towards eco-friendly materials and production. Reuse is very valuable. Does that mean you should use mom’s or grandma’s dinnerware with new additions to make it your own? Absolutely. Appreciate the artistry that goes into the production of fine dinnerware that’s like a piece of art, which is exactly what it is. What’s next? From the wooden bowls of the stone age to 3D printing, who can imagine where the next iteration of tableware will come from. But that won’t be my concern to worry or wonder about any more.
We had many successes and failures along the way. My first and worst failure came at the hands of the Hunt brothers, who manipulated the price of silver in 1979. We ran a full-page ad touting a sterling silver flatware sale. I sent the orders in just as the Hunt brothers cornered the market, causing prices to jump from $4 an ounce to over $20. Silver manufacturers raised their prices, and we had to honor the sales price, losing any profit. That same year, though, one of the Lladro brothers was signing figurines across the U.S. We were the second store he came to, and the event was incredibly successful. Shortly thereafter, the collectible business went into an irreversible decline. Ebb and flow.
Another business milestone was when we computerized our gift registry, which brought the groom into the process, armed with a scanning gun. Grooms today are much more involved than even a few years ago. But, of course, the real issue is getting the couple to the store in the first place. Word of mouth about the knowledge of staff and the time you take to put together their home is invaluable. Big stores just don’t have the staff to ring up a sale, let alone compile an entire registry. I like to say, Once we get them in, we got them.
................................ Marsha Dautch is part of a dying breed of independent store merchants: smart, skilled, passionate, involved. Now, as this Buffalo-based retailer prepares for retirement, she shares some valuable lessons.
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The most recent challenge we faced was closing for three months, thanks to COVID. What saved us is our Buffalo community. In 1980, we came up with glassware that had a deeply etched bison as a tribute to the city. The glasses took off like wildfire, and we’ve added hundreds of SKUs since. Because we had a website with Buffaloware, Larry, my husband and owner, came to the store and filled online orders to keep us going. Our social media proved we could sell remotely.
As I wrap things up, I’d like to leave the next generation of tableware buyers a few hard-earned bits of advice. Read all periodicals pertinent to the industry. Have an online registry presence for customers all over the country. Go to as many trade shows as possible. Introduce yourself to the powers that be in the company. Stand out: my unique eyewear made me unforgettable in the market, which helped build relationships. Ask for deals. Companies may have items or quantities that are too small for big stores but enough for you to score great margins. Rely on your sales reps for in-store training. Knowledge sets you apart from the competition. Get the principals of the companies to speak; it’s good staff training and makes for a great event. Communicate with your sales staff regarding customer requests if you can’t be on your floor yourself. Offer free gift wrapping, a no-brainer; many customers come to us just because of that. Have a good POS system and customer profile system. Learn how to use everything yourself. I’ll say farewell to the day-to-day operations, but I’ll look back fondly on all the industry leaders I was privileged to meet, learn from, and call my friend. Thank you all.
................................ The lifetime Buffalo native, Marsha Dautch, is a self-described elderly tableware buyer who has worked at Jenss Decor her entire career, starting as a gift wrapper and working her way up to sales associate, assistant buyer, buyer, and V.P. of merchandising. We in the industry who know and love her passion and unique stylings simply call her our Queen. Long live the Queen.
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