In 1948, South African diamond interest De Beers debuted one of the most iconic phrases in advertising history with “A diamond is forever,” adapted from a quote attributed to Pope Paul III in 1515.
John Mays Jewelers in Fort Smith might not have quite that many years behind it, but the sentiment remains apt. Through decades of changing taste, fashion, and economies, the family-owned and -operated business has remained as rock-solid as its glittering inventory.
“What is nice, is how well we work together,” says Kevin Mays, son of company founders Kathryn and John Mays III. “Dad has a substantial customer base, but being around here as long as I have, people have seen me grow up here, basically, for the last twenty years. We complement each other well.”
This teamwork helps explain how the store has survived as long as it has. Customers never have to ask to speak to the owner; they’re standing right across the display case, ensuring the highest level of customer service and product knowledge is delivered with every interaction.
“You can’t sell jewelry unless you have the knowledge to sell it. You’ve got to have all your i’s dotted, and your t’s crossed and deliver what you sell,” says John III. “Knowledge puts you in a position where you can talk with anybody who wants to buy something of quality and explain to them the cost and worth.
“That’s what I built the business on; I didn’t want to carry anything that wasn’t the finest quality, and I wanted to be able to assure people that anything we sold was going to be the absolute pinnacle.” ~ John Mays III
John III was born into the art and science of selling. His grandfather, John Sr., sold suits and shoes, and his father, John Jr., sold house siding door to door. Both were accomplished in their trade and passed these traits on to John III, who, after returning home from the Navy, put those chops to work in retail.
“My grandfather and my father were very successful, but it was a totally different process,” he says. “My grandfather traveled in a car, and he sold out of the car. He met people in their businesses in the city, or he’d travel and sell in their homes. My dad, I remember going with him when I was a small boy, and I remember he took hours and hours and hours to make a sale.
“When I got into clothing, people were coming to me to buy, so all you had to do was be receptive and try to steer people you’d never met before to buy whatever they needed. But you still had to know how to sell it. I learned how, with suits, to bring out ties that coordinated and to have shirts that coordinated. That gave me the background to work with people on a one-to-one basis.”
John III would find his life’s work in 1969 when he was approached to join a local jewelry store. He took it, not realizing just how different the expectations are of the typical diamond customer over the average clothing customer. That is, until one encounter rammed the point home in a way that changed his mindset from being a salesman of a commodity to being an authority on his product.
“I had a customer come in and he was a very knowledgeable man, a physician,” John III says. “I was selling him a diamond, and he asked me questions I wasn’t prepared to answer. After I finished with him, I said, I’ll never be in that situation again.
“I got my degree from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), first learning basic knowledge and finally getting my gemologist title, which covered the entire spectrum. Later, I sent my sons through GIA; today, they hold every degree available.”
John III went on his own in 1999 at the urging of Kathryn, who’d enjoyed a successful career as a nurse.
“She said I was capable, and I should step out and do it,” John III says. “She’s the backbone of the business. When the store got to where I really couldn’t continue without help, she left her job and has been here every day since. She’s incredible; she takes care of the books and can work the floor just as well as I can.”
The couple eventually recruited their sons, Kevin and John IV, to join them, the latter of whom was involved with the company in previous years. Working with an all-family crew has provided peace of mind over the years.
“I really wanted family involved because we are dealing with money and valuable inventory, and I’ve never had to worry about where stuff is or who’s showing it,” John III says.
Kevin was living in Dallas when he got the call inviting him to return home and join the growing business.
“You wear a lot of hats, to say the least,” Kevin says. “There’s just three of us here, so you’re the janitor, the repairman, the window cleaner, and the case cleaner. There’s no job that Dad or Mom won’t do, or I won’t do.
“What I have learned is that you have to have an incredible work ethic to manage all those tasks and wait on everybody as they come in and still get everything done. It’s a lot of work if you don’t love it, but if you love it, you never work a day in your life.” ~ Kevin Mays
Kevin says while the jewelry business has many changes over the past couple of decades ― including nationwide chain stores and online diamond retailers ― some things never go out of style.
“At the end of the day, you can buy [jewelry] online, but you really don’t know what you’re getting,” he says. “A lot of times, you’re buying a piece for one of the most important moments in your life, and when you’re talking about a $5,000 or $10,000 engagement ring, there’s no telling how long you have worked to save for that purchase. So, entrusting that purchase to an email address is problematic and should not be taken lightly.
“That’s where a home-owned store where you can talk to people who have the education to back up what they are telling you and who can work on things has its advantages. Online doesn’t affect us much; maybe in larger cities, but not so much here.”
In 2016, the business moved from a strip mall to its present standalone store, where every day, the Mays family clocks in to serve clients, some well into their second and third generation. Through these relationships, John Mays Jewelers has been part of countless special occasions in the lives of its customers, firmly embedding it into the fabric of the community. Looking back over a quarter century, John III’s voice hits a note of satisfaction.
“I’m most proud of the fact that we’re able to succeed. That’s quite an accomplishment for a middle-class kid born and raised here,” he says. “Retail is very difficult, you know? When the store opens, you must be there, and when it closes, you must be there. You have to have passion; it never feels like work if you have passion for the product and the customers.”
All are invited to the John Mays Jewelers’ 25th Anniversary Celebration, October 11-12, 2024; Friday 5-8p, Saturday 11a-6p. Exquisite jewelry featuring designers from around the world, aperitifs, and a chance to win an incredible piece of jewelry.
5622 Rogers Ave, Fort Smith
479.452.2140 / johnmaysjewelers.com
