Family Business
Issue No. 64 - April/May 2012
Brand new thinking lifts McCabe name
For Gerard McCabe, MD of Gerard McCabe Jewellers, the day he and wife Pauline decided to take the business plunge seems like yesterday – not April 1986.
“I’d already had a good exposure to the jewellery industry, having worked with my father Patrick at the well-known and established Frank McCabe Jewellers,” Gerard says.
His background was solid: he had worked as an appraiser to the trade, manufacturer and sold antique jewellery, and in the early 1980s managed a chain store jewellery operation. If they could help others run a successful jewellery business they had the experience, drive and passion to do it for themselves.
“Looking back, the timing and approach worked well,” Gerard says: from humble beginnings in the Edments building the business now has two boutique stores in Adelaide and a global customer network.
All of Gerard and Pauline’s four children have worked in the business and three still do.
“After working in the banking industry in Sydney, Jessica returned to Adelaide to take on the role of Marketing Manager. Justin is a trained gemmologist and valuer, has worked in the business since leaving school and currently manages the Adelaide Arcade store,” Gerard says.
“Daniel works part time in the business while studying at university and Lauren worked as the Marketing Manager before (moving on).” In jewellery, family tradition is a vital asset.
“Buying jewellery is a major purchase decision, and it is important for a customer to have confidence in the quality of the product, but the experience must also be one that will be remembered for all the right reasons,” Gerard says. “People like good service, and it has been critical to ensure family values are reflected in our branding, and embedded in the way we do business.
“My grandfather...
