An agreement to merge Australian-based Showcase Jewellers with the 30-year-old Kiwi buying group Gemtime Jewellers was announced on Monday at the Gemtime Jewellers meeting at The Waipuna Hotel in Auckland.
It came after 12 months negotiation and Showcase ceo Michael Mishevski advised the new operation will come into effect on October 1.
Mishevski said, “The excitement was running high at the NZ trade fair, not only from Gemtime members who have embraced the Showcase brand, but interest from many of the better-end jewellers now vying for position to secure their area as a Showcase Jeweller.”
Gemtime ceo Peter Alexander said, “The merger will allow Showcase and Gemtime to collaborate and create a leader in buying and marketing power for Australian and New Zealand independent jewellers.”
Alexander will assume the role of general manager of the New Zealand operation and lead the local streeing committee. In addition, Mishevski said that two Kiwi members, Alison Renshaw & Terry Keoghan, will join the Showcase board.
“The announcement has been great, it’s created a new lease of life among Gemtime members, and in fact, we have already gained four news stores under the merged operation,” Mishevski said.
Gemtime had 24 existing members and the increase takes it to 28 and Mishevski said, “We also have a number of other stores wanting to join. Our aim was to have 50 stores within 24 months, and it looks like that we might achieve that sooner.”
Gemtime was founded in 1981 as a congregation point for likeminded independent jewellery retailers who could not create or afford the marketing and operational resources required to combat competitor activity.
Like the Showcase model, Gemtime consists of individual storeowners who actively govern its commercial direction and remain deeply embedded in its operations.
Incidentally enough, Showcase Jewellers began in 1981 when a small group of independent jewellers decided to form a buying group to leverage their purchasing power with suppliers. Showcase has now grown to include 182 members across 270 stores in Australia.
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