Southern Jewelry News
  • Featured
    • All
    • Featured
    • Featured Retailers
    • Retailer Roundtable
    • Sponsored Content
    • Supplier Spotlight
    Les Olson Jewelers: a hands-on operation
    Les Olson Jewelers: a hands-on operation
    Merger With a Mission
    From hard knocks to soft landing in new store
    Saban Onyx helps independent retail jewelers get fancy
  • Latest News
    • All
    • COVID-19
    • Furry Friends
    • Industry Awards
    • Industry Events
    • NRF
    • On The Move
    • Other News
    • Tradeshow News
    • Video
    • What's New
    Diamond industry veteran rebuts dire forecast in The Asteroid Approaches column
    Jewelry store sales and management video from Jimmy DeGroot: Check your attitude before opening the store
    CBG Miami “Experience” event gets positive reviews
    Furry Friends on the Job: Say hello to Sierra of Argo & Lehne Jewelers
  • Podcast
    Dangers of Jewelry theft and how to prevent them 350
    Episode 43 -Kenny Mullins, Dangers of Jewelry Theft and How to Prevent Them
    Inside the Generational Legacy of David Douglas Diamonds
    Episode 42 -Doug Meadows, Inside the Generational Legacy of David Douglas Diamonds
    An-Inspiring-Tale-Behind-50-Years-of-Jewelry-Design-and-More
    Episode 41 -John Atencio, An Inspiring Tale Behind 50 Years of Jewelry Design and More
    Episode 39 -Brittany Jones,95 Years of Excellence and Legacy of JF Jones Jewelers
    Episode 40 -Brittany Jones,95 Years of Excellence and Legacy of JF Jones Jewelers
    The Rise of Luxury Handbag Trend in Jewelry Stores
    Episode 39 -Frederick Mannella, The Rise of Luxury Handbag Trend in Jewelry Stores
    Episode 38 – Kevin Patton, Gem-preneur Family Legacy of Pattons Fine Jewelry
    Episode 38 – Kevin Patton, Gem-preneur Family Legacy of Pattons Fine Jewelry
    Technology Meets Our Values
    Episode 37 – Kyle Bullock, Technology Meets Our Values
    A Pandemic-Born Success of Two Jewelry Visionaries
    Episode 36 – Brooke and Chase Brinson, A Pandemic-Born Success of Two Jewelry Visionaries
    Jewelers Helping Jewelers
    Episode 35 – Aleah Arundale, Jewelers Helping Jewelers: Connection, Support, and Success
  • Columnists
    4Cs of Diamonds? Here are the 4Cs of Jewelry Marketing to help you sell them
    Applied Marketing 101: The Next Big Thing
    Applied Marketing 101: The Asteroid Approaches
    The Story Behind the Stone: Oops there it is!
    Image of Chuck Koehler
    Cool New Things from the Atlanta Jewelry Show
    Image of Chuck Koehler
    The Retailer’s Perspective: It’s Springtime in September
    Barbiecore Bling! Are you in?
    Joel McFadden Fine Jewelry
    Successful Custom: The Customers View
    Holiday Sales Success: A multifaceted marketing approach
    Holiday Sales Success: A multifaceted marketing approach
  • Classifieds
  • Subscriptions
    • Newsletter Signup
    • Print Subscription
  • Digital Magazine
    • Southern Jewelry News
    • Mid-America Jewelry News
    • Archive
No Result
View All Result
Southern Jewelry News
  • Featured
    • All
    • Featured
    • Featured Retailers
    • Retailer Roundtable
    • Sponsored Content
    • Supplier Spotlight
    Les Olson Jewelers: a hands-on operation
    Les Olson Jewelers: a hands-on operation
    Merger With a Mission
    From hard knocks to soft landing in new store
    Saban Onyx helps independent retail jewelers get fancy
  • Latest News
    • All
    • COVID-19
    • Furry Friends
    • Industry Awards
    • Industry Events
    • NRF
    • On The Move
    • Other News
    • Tradeshow News
    • Video
    • What's New
    Diamond industry veteran rebuts dire forecast in The Asteroid Approaches column
    Jewelry store sales and management video from Jimmy DeGroot: Check your attitude before opening the store
    CBG Miami “Experience” event gets positive reviews
    Furry Friends on the Job: Say hello to Sierra of Argo & Lehne Jewelers
  • Podcast
    Dangers of Jewelry theft and how to prevent them 350
    Episode 43 -Kenny Mullins, Dangers of Jewelry Theft and How to Prevent Them
    Inside the Generational Legacy of David Douglas Diamonds
    Episode 42 -Doug Meadows, Inside the Generational Legacy of David Douglas Diamonds
    An-Inspiring-Tale-Behind-50-Years-of-Jewelry-Design-and-More
    Episode 41 -John Atencio, An Inspiring Tale Behind 50 Years of Jewelry Design and More
    Episode 39 -Brittany Jones,95 Years of Excellence and Legacy of JF Jones Jewelers
    Episode 40 -Brittany Jones,95 Years of Excellence and Legacy of JF Jones Jewelers
    The Rise of Luxury Handbag Trend in Jewelry Stores
    Episode 39 -Frederick Mannella, The Rise of Luxury Handbag Trend in Jewelry Stores
    Episode 38 – Kevin Patton, Gem-preneur Family Legacy of Pattons Fine Jewelry
    Episode 38 – Kevin Patton, Gem-preneur Family Legacy of Pattons Fine Jewelry
    Technology Meets Our Values
    Episode 37 – Kyle Bullock, Technology Meets Our Values
    A Pandemic-Born Success of Two Jewelry Visionaries
    Episode 36 – Brooke and Chase Brinson, A Pandemic-Born Success of Two Jewelry Visionaries
    Jewelers Helping Jewelers
    Episode 35 – Aleah Arundale, Jewelers Helping Jewelers: Connection, Support, and Success
  • Columnists
    4Cs of Diamonds? Here are the 4Cs of Jewelry Marketing to help you sell them
    Applied Marketing 101: The Next Big Thing
    Applied Marketing 101: The Asteroid Approaches
    The Story Behind the Stone: Oops there it is!
    Image of Chuck Koehler
    Cool New Things from the Atlanta Jewelry Show
    Image of Chuck Koehler
    The Retailer’s Perspective: It’s Springtime in September
    Barbiecore Bling! Are you in?
    Joel McFadden Fine Jewelry
    Successful Custom: The Customers View
    Holiday Sales Success: A multifaceted marketing approach
    Holiday Sales Success: A multifaceted marketing approach
  • Classifieds
  • Subscriptions
    • Newsletter Signup
    • Print Subscription
  • Digital Magazine
    • Southern Jewelry News
    • Mid-America Jewelry News
    • Archive
No Result
View All Result
Southern Jewelry News
No Result
View All Result
Home Featured Articles Featured

The Cargo Hold: 50 years of friendship and business

Paul Holewa by Paul Holewa
August 1, 2022
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Reading Time: 9 minutes

Traveling abroad is fun. Funding that kind of enjoyment takes money. When confronted with this financing challenge in the early 1970s, Tom Young and Bob Glenn, co-founders of The Cargo Hold, decided to import and sell crafts, jewelry and houseware items from destinations around the world. As jewelry became the best-selling of these items, a jewelry company started to emerge. 

Bob Glenn (l) and Tom Young, co-founders, celebrating The Cargo Hold’s 50th anniversary.
Bob Glenn (l) and Tom Young, co-founders, celebrating The Cargo Hold’s 50th anniversary.
Tom and Bob at the SJTA Atlanta Jewelry Show in 1985.
Tom and Bob at the SJTA Atlanta Jewelry Show in 1985.

This year the Charleston, South Carolina-based jewelry, beads and findings company is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The Cargo Hold history is more than a down the decades recollection of how an idea became a gem and jewelry enterprise. Equally important, The Cargo Hold story is one of a decades-long friendship as well as the industry relationships and the dedicated staff that made it all possible.

College prepares students for business. For Tom and Bob, however, college was the start of a business. The two met at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. They had many common interests, chief among them world travel. With passports at the ready the intrepid twosome started their import and sales business with junkets to Central America.

 

1 of 4
- +
Cargo Item
Cargo Rings Item
Cargo Bracelet Item
Cargo Earrings Item

1. Pendant from The Cargo Hold’s popular Southern Gates Collection.

2.

3.

4.

By 1973, they had amassed enough inventory to open a retail shop. The mission was to source extraordinary items that had ordinary uses in people’s everyday lives. Jewelry appealed to both the pair and their customers, but Tom and Bob also imported rugs, clothes, posters, carvings, bedspreads and even some “off the wall items,” according to Tom.

At the same time they were importing Italian coral, turquoise and silver jewelry. “If we liked something and thought we could sell it, we would try it,” says Bob. “And, we tried a lot of different things. Jewelry sold the best so we went all together into jewelry.”

Choosing the right products for customers was most of the battle for Tom and Bob. Retail jewelry sales require a certain set of skills. In the formative years Tom and Bob were blessed with success when they met Tasso Arnopoulos, a retired gentleman who knew retail and import-export.

“He helped with retail and really gave us a first-rate introductory course into importing and buying abroad,” says Bob. “He was the most influential person in the formative years. Tasso also helped us broaden inventory from key jewelry producers in Europe, leading with Germany, Italy, France and Greece.” 

Bob & Tom have been a dynamic duo for 50 years.
Bob & Tom have been a dynamic duo for 50 years.

Their first retail operation was on King Street. There was competition from other retailers in the area but sales picked up when the Charleston Place Hotel opened. Although pleased with the uptick in business, an honest assessment of their retail operations by the mid- to late-1970s was “moderately successful,” says Tom. “A path for growth was not apparent as foot traffic was sparse.”

Their importation of Italian coral in 1979 was the key to transforming their business at the time. “We believed our imported coral could be sold to jewelry businesses and at lapidary shows,” says Bob.

Closing their retail store was a difficult but necessary decision for a path to wholesale success. In 1979, the King Street store was shuttered and a business office opened on Broad Street. Tom and Bob started researching gem and jewelry industry trade shows. Early winners were the Southern Jewelry Travelers Association (SJTA) and the Eastern Jewelers Travelers Association (EJTA) as well as various lapidary trade shows and of course the Tucson Gem Show. In all, Tom and Bob exhibited at about 30 trade shows a year.       

During these events they met with numerous importers, wholesalers and retailers. Business and personal relationships were established while Tom and Bob’s business evolved, expanded and prospered. During the 1980s it was all trade shows all the time. But business was good with one-third of their customers in Texas, the West Coast – from California to Washington State – was fertile trade show territory.

With the help of Ron Daves and Kent Strong, the wholesale business was “on the road and in their air,” says Bob. Adela Gotz maintained office procedures for sales and shipping as the wholesale effort ramped up.

Trade shows provided numerous contacts throughout the world for a wealth of jewelry items. European designs helped to broaden product offerings. While these unique designs were added to their inventory they also started to develop brands and product lines specific to The Cargo Hold. Perhaps the most impactful was the Southern Gates collection as well as the Biltmore Collection.

Bob and Tom have always appreciated and recognized the contributions of their loyal staff.
Bob and Tom have always appreciated and recognized the contributions of their loyal staff.

As the name suggests, the collection is based on design elements and qualities of 18th and 19th Century wrought iron gates found throughout the Southern portion of the United States. The collection got its start in the late 2000s. Today the collection boasts of 400 unique designs. This jewelry line was a game-changer for the company.

“Italian jewelry products have always been important to our sales of silver chain, bracelets, and earrings,” says Tom. “Italian design consistently shines in any display and the quality of their finished products is reliable. Also, American manufacturers have been a key part of our offerings. It is always good to say a jewelry item was made in America.”

Tom and Bob still view themselves as owners of a business that is large enough for global sourcing and coast to coast sales in the US, but small enough to recognize the staff that has helped the company achieve its successes over the years. “Customer service, manufacturing capabilities, timelines, copyrights, product design and advertising are all dependent upon our personnel,” says Bob. 

“Sales to Southeastern accounts by Mark Duval has introduced the line into many new towns,” says Bob. “Olivia Janiak was a chief designer who also made sure shipments were delivered in a timely manner,” he added. Advertising and marketing for Southern Gates was in the wheel house of Cathy Young and Katie Sacko. Ashley Moore was the go-to person for trade shows and booth set-ups.

“Today the importance of personnel who can wear multiple hats means even small businesses can have a digital presence and marketing plan that works outside the brick-and-mortar sales location,” says Tom. “Diane Busch has worn every hat we have very well for many years. Meghan White has managed our finances through thick and thin and Liz Nagle ensures orders come in and go out. Taylor Smith and Ryan Vied manage marketing and media, while Maggie Berry and David O’Malley keep inventory on track and office operations running smoothly.”

The Cargo Hold’s original intent was to make travel possible, buying and selling unique, unusual and quality goods from abroad. But that business model has evolved. 

“We continue to enjoy the trips and doing this for 50 years is one of our prouder landmarks,” says Bob. “Another is making work more than just a job. There will be changes and challenges no doubt, but the future seems full of possibilities. For now, we intend to continue offering new designs and new ways to sell and buy those pieces. The journey has become the destination.”

Contact The Cargo Hold at cargoholdinc.com or call 800-845-6964.

Paul Holewa

Paul Holewa

Paul Holewa has worked as a gem and jewelry industry trade journalist for more than 20 years. He learned about the gem and jewelry industry firsthand in Bangkok and Chantaburi, Thailand, global hubs for colored stones, diamond cutting, and jewelry production. Paul called Bangkok home for 11 years. He has travelled to remote gemstone mining sites throughout Southeast Asia, as well as major distribution and manufacturing centers in that region. For most of his years as a trade journalist, Paul has specialized in writing small business management articles for retail jewelers. His specialty has been developing magazine news feature stories and online blog content to help jewelry store owners to manage their store more effectively and, more importantly, to sell more jewelry. Paul has written on a wide range of jewelry store management topics from sales training and staffing, to video marketing and social media campaigns.

Related Posts

Les Olson Jewelers: a hands-on operation

Les Olson Jewelers: a hands-on operation

September 13, 2023

Merger With a Mission

September 6, 2023

From hard knocks to soft landing in new store

August 31, 2023

Saban Onyx helps independent retail jewelers get fancy

August 31, 2023

Latest News

Columnists

4Cs of Diamonds? Here are the 4Cs of Jewelry Marketing to help you sell them

September 25, 2023
Other News

Diamond industry veteran rebuts dire forecast in The Asteroid Approaches column

September 25, 2023
Other News

Jewelry store sales and management video from Jimmy DeGroot: Check your attitude before opening the store

September 25, 2023

Other News

CBG Miami “Experience” event gets positive reviews

Furry Friends on the Job: Say hello to Sierra of Argo & Lehne Jewelers

Episode 43 -Kenny Mullins, Dangers of Jewelry Theft and How to Prevent Them

Hardrock Summit wraps in Denver

ISG awarded Certificate of the Combat Flag

Artistry, Ltd. releases 2024 catalog

Southern Jewelry News

© 2023 Southern Jewelry News.

Additional Information

  • About
  • 2023 Jewelry Trade Shows & Events
  • Media Kit
  • Contact
  • Sitemap
  • Newsletter Signup

Get Social with Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Featured Articles
    • Featured
    • Featured Retailers
    • Retailer Roundtable
    • Supplier Spotlight
    • Sponsored Content
  • Latest News
    • What’s New
    • Industry Events
    • Tradeshow News
    • On The Move
    • Other News
    • Furry Friends
  • Podcast
  • Columnists
  • Classifieds
  • Subscriptions
    • Newsletter Signup
    • Print Subscription
  • DIGITAL MAGAZINE
    • Southern Jewelry News
    • Mid-America Jewelry News
    • Archives

© 2023 Southern Jewelry News.