b'HOLLY WESCHEGROWING UP WESCHE My parents really wanted me and my brother and sister to have Holly has familial roots in the jewelry industry on both sides ofwork experience. That was as much a part of it as anything, she says. her family. I think I helped in the store like one half a day taking inventory. On her father Jim Wesches side, Hollys grandmothera femaleShe noticed a new Lurias department store near her college was hir-entrepreneur ahead of her time, Holly notesowned Weschesing, so with her mothers voice in the back of her mind, Holly applied Antiques in Orlando, Florida, where she sold jewelry, china, crystal,for a job with Wesche Jewelers on her resume as past work experience.silver and some fine furniture.When I went there, it must have been the beginning of fate, she Hollys maternal great-aunt and -uncle, June and Herb Underwood,says. [The interviewer] was only talking to me for maybe five minutes, were the owners of Underwood Jewelers in Florida, founded in 1928.and she excuses herself and gets up. A man comes back and hes the Her maternal grandparents worked there as well.general manager of this Lurias thats about to open, and believe it When Hollys parents married, her father Jim startedor not, hes from Melbourne, Florida.working at Underwood Jewelers and ended upHe said, I know Wesche Jewelers, youre managing the stores multiple locations inhired, and were going to put you in the jew-Jacksonville, Florida. He also became aelry department.student of her great-uncle. After a year or so Along with being a dedicatedat Lurias, Holly mentor to Jim, Herb was active inupgraded. She the industry.walked into From 1967 to 1969, he wasSINGLE-STOREa nearby the board chair of Retail Jewel- INDEPENDENTRutherfords ers of America, which wouldINDUCTEE Jewelers,become Jewelers of America,applied for a where he later served as presidentjob, and got it. of the board. My mother He also served on the boards ofsaid she knew Id the American Gem Society, Jewelersgotten bitten by the jewelry bug Vigilance Committee, the Floridabecause every time I called home, I Jewelers Association, and the Floridawasnt talking about my schoolwork, I Retail Federation.wasnt talking about my boyfriend, I wasnt When Underwood Jewelers was sold totalking about my sorority; I wanted to talk Brombergs in 1974, both Herb and Jim stuckabout what I was selling.around. Jim remained the manager for a few more yearsThroughout college, Holly worked at Wesche Jewelers before amicably departing for Melbourne, where he and wife Junewhen she was home in the summer and at Rutherfords when she was opened the first Wesche Jewelers store in 1977.back at school. When I was growing up in Jacksonville, every time we wouldAfter college, she remained at Wesche, and the family began dis-get together for Thanksgiving or Christmas, everything was aboutcussing the possibility of Holly taking over the business.the jewelry business, Holly says. I had it all around me. My entireMy parents sat me down and said, OK, we want to make sure this family was independently owned businesses in the jewelry industry/ isnt a fadare you serious about this? Holly recalls. I said yes, we got jewelry world. Literally since I can remember, everything was about,a consultant, and we designed a buyout plan. But we never anticipated Hows business? Whats selling? Hows the economy? that my father would get brain cancer.So, I guess it was destined to be, although when I was growing up, I had no interest whatsoever. I thought I would do something inSUDDEN SUCCESSION broadcast journalism. Jim was diagnosed with brain cancer in 1998 and passed away 14 After high school, Holly attended the University of Florida. She hadmonths later, in July 1999, at 61 years old. made an agreement with her parents that they would pay tuition, butWe had a plan for succession, but that plan never considered she had to work for any play money for fun things like shopping. something like that could happen. We just thought my parents would MY MOTHER SAID SHE KNEW ID GOTTEN BITTEN BY THE JEWELRY BUG BECAUSE EVERY TIME I CALLED HOME, I WASNT TALKING ABOUT MY SCHOOLWORK, I WASNT TALKING ABOUT MY BOYFRIEND, I WASNT TALKING ABOUT MY SORORITY; I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT I WAS SELLING.HOLLY WESCHE NATIONAL JEWELER 17'