Francarlo's golden touch earns prestigious award

Francarlo's Jewellers in Walmer Park was regional category winner in an awards competition run by the SA Council of Shopping Centres and Nedbank, making the Port Elizabeth shop eligible for the national award.

And at the Spectrum Awards ceremony in Johannesburg late last week - an occasion described by Francarlo Micilotta as like the “Oscars” for shopping centres and top retailers - the 38-year-old speciality jewellery outlet was recognised for its excellence.

It came out tops among prestige retailers from throughout the country in recognition of it providing “exceptional levels of customer service, thereby contributing positively towards South Africa‘s shopping centre industry”.

Council president Julie Hillary said at the ceremony that the awards, made in four categories, “applaud those achieving excellence within the retail sector”.

Winners of the other categories were Enforce security, of the Gateway centre in Durban, as national service provider of the year; Irene Village Mall, of Irene in Gauteng, as retail design and development category winner, and again the Gateway centre, for its excellence in shopping centre marketing.

Micilotta, 60, who accepted the award with his daughter, Tanya Slabbert, recalled how he came to South Africa from Italy in 1968 and started up the business in Main Street (now Govan Mbeki Avenue) and later moved to Westbourne Road in Central and then Walmer Park.

“I have been serving the public in the city for almost 40 years and believe that our awards success is due to all our staff working as a team and keep a finger on the pulse of jewellery fashion and demand to suit the buyers' needs.

“Without that teamwork - including the leadership of my daughter Tanya, who is also a trained goldsmith and jeweller - winning such a national accolade would not have been possible.”

Micilotta said the operation employed 20 people in its workshop and sales operations.

Source: The Herald

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