Need jewelry in a pandemic? ‘Drive-by diamonds’ is one store’s solution
By Drew Hill Updated: April 10, 2020 11:40 AM CT | Published: April 10, 2020 11:23 AM CT
Howie Knopf has had to temporarily close several jewelry stores as of April 9, 2020, due to COVID-19, but the headquarters of Robert Irwin Jewelers is still open, handling online orders and their new “drive-by diamonds” operation where Knopf, masked and gloved, can help customers with selected items. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
"The time when a drive-thru was used only for cheeseburgers and tacos is over.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, almost everything is available on the go, including one of the world’s most luxurious items, diamonds.
Fifteen carats for carryout is certainly expensive, but it’s also a way Howie Knopf, the owner of several Robert Irwin Jewelers locations in the Memphis area, is keeping his sanity.
“I feel like it’s that chart,” Knopf said. “The one where there’s the seven stages of grief.”
The stages, in order, are as follows: shock, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, testing and acceptance.
He’s circled through it his fair share of times.
“It starts with, ‘No. This can’t be happening.’ Then it goes to, ‘I guess it happened.’ Then you get depressed about it to the point where you eventually move on to find a different way of handling things. That’s where I’m at,” Knopf said.
Since closing all four of his locations on March 17, the unsurprising losses have been “enormous.” As a result, all of his hourly employees were forced this week to file for unemployment after two weeks of remaining on payroll – he estimated there were around 25 in total.
“Let’s be honest, most people are not thinking about jewelry right now,” Knopf said. “Basically, we’re down to scraps.”
During a difficult time in the economy, there’s also a concern that large purchases on credit could lead to ... "
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