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The Reigning March Bridal Madness Champion

Meet John Patrick: Last year's contest winner

Are you excited about this year’s March Bridal Madness contest? The rules of the game are simple:

  1. “Like” Stuller on Facebook.
  2. Submit an image of your custom designed engagement ring or wedding band.
  3. The picture with the most fan votes moves on to final judging.

The stakes are high! The winner receives a Stuller account credit valued at $1,000, and we feature their design on all of Stuller’s social venues. We are accepting submissions now until March 15 for your chance to win!

Find the official contest rules here


Meet John Patrick: The Reigning March Bridal Madness Champion

 

March Bridal Madness John Patrick Wife Phyllis
John and his beautiful wife, Phyllis

My jewelry career began in Baton Rouge, Louisiana as an apprentice jeweler at Wilson’s catalog showroom. My skills improved and I started contracting with other retail jewelry stores. Eventually, I became self-employed. In 1984, my wife, Phyllis, and I opened our own store, Patrick’s Fine Jewelry, in Saint Francisville, Louisiana. After operating in the same location for thirty-two years, we built a new, larger, freestanding store in Saint Francisville in October 2013.

We are a family-owned and operated business. I’m the jeweler and designer while Phyllis is the bookkeeper who assists in sales. My oldest son Johnny oversees marketing and sales. We have five employees who are either relatives or longtime friends of the family. My favorite part of the job is the opportunity to meet with a customer and get a feel for his/her personality. I get to gauge their likes and dislikes and incorporate those views into a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry. This leads to complete customer satisfaction.

My specialties include custom designs, French pavé settings, and hand engraving. I’ve become adept at making jewelry that makes her happy and fits his budget. Custom design plays a very important role in our business by setting us apart from other jewelry stores in the area. Customers come into my store and choose a ring custom designed to their tastes and unique. Keeping up with our work volume presents our greatest challege. I am one of the few stores in my area that performs in-house repairs and custom design jewelry.

Looking back, the day we opened our new free-standing store in October 2013 stands out as one of my favorite memories. It is triple the size of my previous rental spot of 30+ years and was designed to accommodate our customers’ needs and my workload. Another highpoint in my career is when my oldest son Johnny decided to come into the jewelry business full time with his mom and myself. He assists in selecting and buying new jewelry designs, excels in sales and customer relations and takes care of all advertising and marketing decisions. His use of social media has taken our store to new heights.

Last year’s March Bridal Madness winning piece
2016 March Bridal Madness Winning Engagement Ring

I am a strong family man and feel God has blessed me beyond all expectations. Phyllis and I have built our jewelry business from a small mom and pop store to a nationally recognized business. We’ve raised two fine sons, the oldest working with me daily. Of course, the door is always open for our younger son to join the family business.

I am very close to my family; I talk to my mother daily and run our family cattle ranch in Woodville, Mississippi. The cattle business helps to keep balance in my life. Each Thursday, I perform ranching duties so I can let out some of the frustration that builds sitting behind a jeweler’s bench. I enjoy staying busy and like the physical aspect that ranching brings into my day. It helps me to stay competitive as I raise registered Angus cattle and bulls for breeding. I was also a volunteer coach for over ten years. It’s so rewarding to see the boys I coached come into my store as young men to make purchases for their wives-to-be. I’m honored to be a part of this special time in their lives and know that I made a positive impact!

I have always chuckled, “God has a sense of humor by placing a jeweler inside of a big, rough, red-neck man like me.”

March Bridal Madness Winner John Patrick's Fine Jewelry


Have you entered into the March Bridal Madness competition yet? What are you waiting for? Find more details about last year’s March Bridal Madness competition here! 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kristyn Shay

Enthusiast of all forms of social media, but Instagram is my go-to • Avid reader of science fiction • Know more Harry Potter spells than I care to admit • Possibly the single largest contributor to Community Coffee’s annual revenue • Lover of camping, hiking and sleeping under the stars