b'JEWELRYTHE COLOREDTHE THE STATE OF RETAIL DESIGN STONE DIAMOND MARKET INDUSTRY setting up shop aboutTexas and Louisiana in August 2017.50 miles from theIt brought historic rainfall of more than Gulf of Mexico. 60 inches over southeastern Texas, causing Even when hurri- catastrophic flooding and 68 direct deaths.cane season passes,The ability to beHurricane Harvey flooded the homes of the coast isnt quiteboth Dubin and his parents.clear anymore. flexible is key. NothingTheir jewelry store is located on the 14th We have also become accustomed tolasts forever so whatfloor of an office building, so he has not had street and neighborhood flooding that to make changes to his insurance policy in can happen on just a regular rainy day, we did five days or fivelight of the events. says Dubin. years ago will likely lookHe notes, though, that the cost of both The city has extensive bayou and reservoirhis general liability and Jewelers Block systems to keep up with its 50-inch averagedifferent in the future. policies have steadily increased over the annual rainfall, he says. But when those sys- last 10 years.tems are overtaxed, it can cause widespread JORDAN DUBIN,And, of course, all these floods impact devastation to the surrounding communities.DUBINS FINE JEWELRY how many days his store is open.Dubin has dealt with his fair share, andDubin says he closes the store in prepara-then some, of flooding, living through threetion for any extreme weather events, for the severe flooding events three years in a row,safety of both his family and his clients.all within the past six years.In the case of Hurricane Harvey, he says: There was the Memorial Day flood ofWe closed the Friday before Harvey made 2015, the Tax Day flood of 2016, and thenlandfall to prepare our families and homes. Hurricane Harvey the following year. Since both my home and my fathers home flooded, What started as a weak tropical storm inten- we closed the store for one week after Harvey sified into a Category 4 hurricane, as per thetore through Houston. That week allowed us to National Hurricane Center, making landfall inbegin the long road to recovery.Dubins Fine Jewelry is located on the 14th floor of an office building in Houston. Its owned by the Dubin family including Jordan Dubin and his father, Lenny, picturedin inset.14 STATE OF THE MAJORS 2021'