b'6 WAYS TO PREPARE FORWEATHER1.Ensure your business has the right insurance policy for its needs, being particularly mindful of what type of severe weather affects your area. their businesses will continue to thrive in the2. suffering, the jeweler helped in the best way face of adversity. Make sure the limit carried onshe knew how.After the Thomas Fire swept through our Looking at his business in the long term,your insurance policy is enoughDubin is hopeful. to cover your property in casetown, we made custom diamond necklaces Whether it be the increase in extremea severe weather event leads toand gave them to those whose houses were weather events or other unforeseen, out-of- a total loss. burned, says Fox.my-control circumstances, the ability to be3. Around 300 customers who had lost their flexible is key. Nothing lasts forever (exceptKeep physical and digital doc- homes came to claim a diamond necklace.diamonds, of course) so what we did fiveuments detailing the inventoryParadoxically, this had a tremendously days or five years ago will likely look differ- you have on hand, both ownedpositive impact on our business, she says.ent in the future. and memo goods, as well asThe store also began selling the Ventu-It starts with having a mindset [of being]what you currently have in the store thatra-themed necklace to those who wanted belongs to customers.willing to change.4. to show their support, donating half of the Though the devastation left in HurricaneIf you know severe weatherproceeds to the Thomas Fire Fund.Harveys wake was great, Dubin says he wasis coming, place inventoryClimate change is worrying for both jew-fortunate in how quickly his local com- in a safe or vault or take it toelers, but their ties to the community are too munity was able to bounce back, calling ita secure facility via armoredstrong to close up shop and move.nothing short of remarkable. carrier. Board up the windows whenThe rapidly changing climate is a real Building back a community is a groupapplicable.concern, but our store and family are deeply effort, something Dubin and Fox know well. 5. rooted in the community, says Fox. Moving Through that time of turmoil, DubinKeep a list of contractors handyour business would be starting over. reached out to the community. who are capable of taking careExtreme weather is becoming the norm, After Hurricane Harvey, we invited ourof everything from water dam- says Dubin, and as he experiences the age and repairs to electrical clients in for complimentary cleanings andsystems, alarm systems and showcases. impact first-hand, he remains hopeful that appraisals. There was quite a bit of water6.people can slow, stop, or reverse the effects damage to watches and jewelry from dirtyBe aware of pending weatherof human-caused climate change.flood waters, he says. and heed all warnings to closeFrom hurricanes to flooding on a rainy Some clients lost pieces either duringthe store or evacuate. The livesday [and] now, of course, a pandemic, we the flood or afterward during clean-up andof you and your staff are para- bounce back, he says. remediation. mount; everything else is replaceable.Love triumphs over everything else, Likewise, when Fox saw her communitywhich is what jewelry is all about.NATIONAL JEWELER 17'