Brother and sister Jeff Newbauer and Allison Strongin both briefly escaped the gravitational pull of the Kirk Jewelers family business, but the lure of becoming the fourth generation to run the Miami-based retailer was too strong, and they gave up careers in real estate and event production to take the helm.
“I focus primarily on the watch and sales team and Allison is our lead jeweler and also manages marketing,” says Jeff.
“We, together, manage the overall operations, along with a wonderful team of professionals.”
Kirk Jewelers is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, and is enjoying record growth thanks, in part, to the opening of a brand new showroom — anchored by Patek Philippe and Rolex — in Brickell City Center, Miami.
About 4,000 customers visited the store last year; a spectacular bounce back after it was forced to close in March 2020, just weeks after it had opened.
Keeping all those customers happy when the supply of watches from Rolex and Patek Philippe falls so far short of demand is a challenge, but Jeff and Allison manage it by always putting the customer first.
“Business is great, but we are faced with keeping many loyal and long-standing clients happy as well as being sure to offer timepieces to new clients who are just starting,” says Jeff.
“The watches, although being produced in record numbers, still fall well short of demand, which creates frustration for many. We take this frustration very seriously and I can tell you this isn’t easy. Overall, the challenge is met with a fair system that we’ve created and a process that is not based on dollars spent but quality of our relationship with the client.”
Working in harmony with their brands is vital to build long-term strength in the Florida watch market, Allison suggests. “Watch brands will need to be innovative with new designs and technologies,” she says.
“Retailers like us have the challenge of maintaining the relationships with our clients and continuing to work with them to develop their love of watches, growing their collections thoughtfully and slowly over the years.”
