Shop a jewel in the crown
THE plaudits have been flowing for one of Townsville’s most influential businessmen, Graham Jackson, as the business he created celebrates its 60th anniversary.
Loloma Jewellers marked the occasion with a party at its Stockland store this week.
Townsville Enterprise chairman Kevin Gill said Loloma Jewellers’ contribution to the city was remarkable.
“We applaud Graham’s milestone and recognise the outstanding contribution he has made and continues to make to this city’s economic prosperity,” Mr Gill said.
Townsville Chamber of Commerce executive officer Marie-claude Brown said for Loloma Jewellers to maintain a retail business through 60 years and be able to keep it fresh and relevant was remarkable.
Ms Brown said Mr Jackson’s contribution had been instrumental in making the city what it is today.
Mr Jackson is a former president and life member of both the chamber and Townsville Enterprise.
At 88, he continues to operate the jewellery company he founded in the city in 1959.
Mr Jackson said he still enjoyed his work and joked that he had a “bugger of a boss that makes me work seven days a week”.
The young accountant who had worked in a jewellery store “down south” came to Townsville in 1957 to work for tyre firm Vaculug Traction Tyres.
It was during this time that he tried to buy a gift for his late wife Betty, remarking: “The standard of jewellery shops here is ridiculous. We have to open one.”
Two years later, he did, and fended off efforts from his former employer to buy him out so he could come back and work for them.
“I decided my future was in the jewellery business,” Mr Jackson said.
He is unsure how many people he has employed and how many rings he has sold but said it would be “thousands”.
Sixty years on, he’s still at it.
Mr Jackson said he had been working full time “trying to save the business”.
“We have been through five years of hell but we are now emerging into a profitable situation,” he said.
“Fortunately, I had a big superannuation fund I was able to invest in the business.
“If not for that, like a lot of others, I would have had to close the business.”
Mr Jackson is confident Townsville will bounce back.
He has counted some $3 billion worth of development, from projects on The Strand to the expansion of the port to the development of water infrastructure.
“When you add all that up … that will be a big investment for Townsville. Twelve months from now we will have a different city,” Mr Jackson said.