Collins Family Jewelers celebrates 45 years
By Terry L. Wilson
Collins Family Jewelers, 8220 Mira Mesa Blvd., Suite A, was founded by longtime Scripps Ranch residents Bill and Cynthia Collins 45 years ago.
“We are unlike any other business you’ll see,” Cynthia said. “We are probably the oldest family operated retail business in the city. Most people don’t have a multi-generational business because what may have started as a ‘mom and pop’ store ended when no family member stepped in to continue the family legacy, and someone outside of the family was hired to manage the business. Then COVID killed off what few mom and pop shops were still hanging on.”
While many businesses collapsed under the weight of the COVID lockdown, the Collins family took an old recipe used by pioneering entrepreneurs over the decades and made lemonade from lemons to generate sales when other retail stores were closed. Nearly every member of the Collins family is involved in the business.
“Our pride and joy is knowing how much we’ve developed in such a short time during COVID,” Cynthia said. “We belong to a Facebook group, Jewelers Helping Jewelers, which has about 80,000 jewelers that follow us. That’s probably because of the youthfulness of our daughter. The algorithms that are required by Instagram require knowledge of contemporary music that’s really trending, and jewelry is a fashion purchase. So, as fashion trends change, jewelry changes, too. Our daughters are super savvy about what is trending or creating a trend. So, we really depend on Briana and Chelsea to sit in and know exactly what we need for inventory and what we need to move. And our son-in-law does inventory and sales.”
Another aspect to being successful entrepreneurs is finding something that is a personal value and sharing it with large groups, thus creating a new revenue source. The Collins family shared their personal relationship with God, opening a door to new customers and a lot of weddings.
“By embracing our faith in our store, a new group of people started coming almost weekly,” Cynthia said. “We have done many upgrades and weddings for the pastors and, as a result, we have another sustainable source of income.”
Bill Collins expressed his thoughts on the importance of maintaining a positive, hands-on relationship with the community.
“I moved to Scripps in 1977 and built the store in Mira Mesa in 1978,” he said. “We love Scripps Ranch and are proud to be a major sponsor of its many activities. Our kids have gone to school here, elementary through high school, so we’ve always been involved in the school activities. We’ve been in business here for 45 years and when someone asks, ‘What’s the key to success?’ – I tell them to make community a top priority.”
Visit collinsfamilyjewelers.com.