Metro Roundup: New president of Barton-Clay Fine Jewelers is ‘delighted’ to be back in retail
Jewelry industry veteran David Norman, who was named president of Barton-Clay Fine Jewelers in Mountain Brook Village in October, thoroughly enjoys his work.
“I love being in the jewelry business,” he told Village Living.
“I get to work with beautiful objects of desire and help people express themselves through their selections,” Norman said.
Norman has 45 years of experience in the business.
He lived in Tampa, Florida, the last several years and worked as a consultant for retail jewelers across the country, and his clients included Barton-Clay.
“We originally brought him in as a consultant and found his advice invaluable,” said Eric C. McClain — owner, CEO and co-founder of Barton-Clay — in a news release in October in which he announced Norman’s hiring.
Norman’s “varied experience in the jewelry industry — from merchandising to marketing to e-commerce — will be instrumental in guiding our firm into the future,” McLain said.
Norman said he is “delighted” to be back in retail.
A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Norman’s career includes stints serving as vice president of merchandising and marketing at Fox’s Jewelers, a 44-store chain, and at Reeds Jewelers, a 100-store chain.
He also served as president of Schwarzschild Jewelers, an independent luxury jeweler in Richmond, Virginia.
“I’ve also been fortunate to have experienced just about every aspect of the jewelry industry throughout my career, from marketing to developing niche businesses and am always learning new things,” Norman said.
Established in 1987, Barton-Clay Fine is a family-owned independent fine jeweler offering fine diamond and jewelry brands.
The store also carries premium watch brands, including Baume & Mercier, Longines and Mont Blanc.
In addition, Barton-Clay offers appraisals, custom design, engraving, jewelry repair and watch repair.
“Great customer service and quality products are our main philosophy,” McClain said.
McClain noted he and Norman both have more than 40 years of experience in the jewelry business.
“While our areas of expertise complement each other, he sees the industry through a broader lens, having worked with retail jewelers in all segments of the industry, from large, multi-store, mall jewelers to small, independent luxury firms and everything in between,” McClain said. “His expertise in market and crafting an online experience will also be helpful going forward.”
“Barton-Clay has a great reputation in the industry and a positive outlook for the future,” Norman said.
For example, during the Christmas season, the store offered its first holiday catalog in 33 years and supported it with a new e-commerce site, McClain said.
“We’re also launching a watch concierge service to meet the needs of local watch aficionados,” he said.
The store is also adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our team will be launching several new initiatives designed to provide our clients with the type of customer service they expect from Barton-Clay but from the comfort of their homes or offices,” Norman said.
In the meantime, Norman will enjoy what he calls the “day-to-day engagement” of managing a small, independent jewelry shop.
“One of the most important aspects of being a jeweler is helping clients to select the perfect gifts for some of the most important occasions in their lives,” Norman said. “I love working with people and seeing the joy in their faces when they’ve found something fabulous that they’re excited to gift to their loved one.”
“I love the intimacy of a small firm, you really get to know your clients and their needs,” he said.
Barton-Clay Fine Jewelers is located at 2701 Cahaba Road. For more information, call 205-871-7060 or go to bartonclay.com.