REFINEMENT AT ITS BEST
Over the past 60 years, Lou Goldberg Jeweller Inc. had become one of the most trusted Canadian jewellers by pursuing the philosophy of providing jewellery of the highest quality at the best possible prices.
by Veronique Dube
photography by Christian Fleury
Today, the Montreal-based jeweller is proud to say that the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of custom hopes of selling the various pieces of jewellery he had in his pockets. Soon afterwards, he began his business asa wholesaler while working under consignment. Eventually, a loyal clientele base helped the man establish his very first storefront. That man was Lou Goldberg.
THE LEGACY
When asked about the philosophy behind the store’s success, Lou’s son Joel Goldberg says that it’s all about “passion and beauty with a promise of quality.”
“When people buy a piece of jewellery at Lou Goldberg, we want them to wear it for years and be able to pass it down through the generations,” adds Joel. He has been in the business since 1981 and his brother Eric was brought in a few years ago. Today, Joel is responsible for coloured stones, watches and administration and Eri
ers that purchased from the store more than five decades ago are a part of its loyal and dedicated client base. The exclusive treasures found at Lou Goldberg are proudly made,offering an eclectic inventory of one-of-a-kind pieces and estate jewellery from around the world.
From the minute you walk into Lou Goldberg Jeweller, you entera fascinating universe; a world of magnificent pieces of jewellery, uniqueprecious stones, top quality diamonds and an outstanding range of watches.
The history of the store dates back to 1946, when a savvy salesman was traveling the streets of Montréal in c focuses on the store’s diamond selection.
Daniel Goldberg, Lou’s grandson and son of Sheldon Goldberg, heads the recently opened Lou Goldberg location in Toronto’s Forest Hill neighborhood. Meanwhile, Joel’s daughter Keely is living and working in Bangkok where she designs jewellery pieces under the family name.
“Offering simple and timeless pieces of jewellery is the key to meet changes in trends as well as to conform to new regulations,” says Joel. Today’s younger generation of consumers are avid online shoppers, and this has pushed the jeweller to put forth a contemporary and practical website with high quality photographs of the jewellery pieces.
“People are looking for specific styles,” explains Joel. “They want to customize their jewellery and they want to know what they buy.” While the website reflects the savoir-faire of the jeweller, it is also used as a very useful tool that complements the two existing Lou Goldberg storefronts.
“Shopping at Lou Goldberg is first and foremost based on relationships,” says Joel. “And relationships are not built online.”
BUY WELL, SELL WELL
The team at Lou Goldberg believes that the buying process is the prime factor that determines the success of the store. Over the past ten years, the jewellery market has changed and due to the increase in the price of gold, many European manufacturers have been forced to end production, giving headway to a booming Asian market. Nowadays, it’s all about the value and brands. Many jewellers, who have to work in an industry where qualityprevails over quantity, have been forced to adapt to this new reality.
Similarly, Lou Goldberg was encouraged to make some changes of its own. Even though the stores have not offered silver products in the past, now one section of both locations is dedicated to emerging silver brands such as Pesavento, Charles Garnier and Andrew Hamilton Crawford. The significance behind this change was to help transform Lou Goldberg’s window shoppers into long-time clients, while providing private and one-on-one service at the same time.
PEARLS, STONES, AND PEOPLE
Over the past few years, Lou Goldberg’s sons have been able to carry on the legacy and the vision of their father, who has always been very passionate about his work, mainly as a result of his fascination with the products he sells.
“Our dad is known for being one of the greatest South Sea pearl finders,” says Joel. “We carry an impressive collection of pearl necklaces; the black ones are from the Tahitian islands and the white ones, mainly from Australia.”
Eric Goldberg says that he is also very fond of the opportunities he gets through being a part of the family business, which can be attributed to the open-mindedness of today’s market.
“Young people ask us for engagement rings with coloured stones asthe center stone,” explains Eric. As a result, the jewellers have adjusted their product range in order to fit the market requirements and now offer a variety of designs with coloured gems. “We truly believe that buying a piece of jewellery is all about feelings. Listening to the clients brings us constant creativity.”
Today, Lou Goldberg attracts clients that love beautiful things, appreciate the finest quality and expect exceptional service. Whether the customer is looking to restore an old jewellery piece or a long-established patron is in search of a unique jewel, Lou Goldberg’s exclusive selection of jewellery, rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets and custom services have the ability to satisfy even the most demanding needs. This is exactly what Lou Goldberg set out to accomplish over 50 years ago. CJ
AT A GLANCE
NAME: Lou Goldberg – Joaillier à Montréal/Lou Goldberg – Montreal Jeweller (and Toronto Jeweller)
OWNERS: Joel and Eric Goldberg
LOCATIONS: 1215 Greene Avenue,
Montreal (Westmount), Quebec and 446 Spadina Road, #206,
Toronto, Ontario
STORE SIZE: 1,800 square feet, including the mezzanine (Montreal) and around 700 square feet (Toronto)
STAFF: 2 permanent employees and 3 part time employees plus Joel and Eric Goldberg (Montreal) and Daniel Goldberg (Toronto)
KNOWN FOR: High-end jewellery, pearls, and fashion forward customers
BRANDS: Watches: Concord, Ebel, Oris, Longines, TW Steel, Victorinox; Silver: Charles Garnier, Pesavento, Andrew Hamilton Crawford; Jewels: manufacturers for brands like Chanel and Tiffany & Co. (no branded jewellery or diamonds)
COOL FACTOR: The beautiful art on the walls in the Montreal location
