Evans retires, sells jewelry store, prepares to travel

Evans retires, sells jewelry store, prepares to travel
Clayton News-Star
By MARGARET RITCHIE
Editor,February 15, 2006

For more than 10 years, Wilbert D. Evans traveled the roads of North and South Carolina putting on jewelry shows for large discount stores before settling down to his own jewelry store in Smithfield in 1989.

Now, Evans is ready to travel again – he’s going to be driving a 40-foot recreational travel vehicle while he and his wife, Nelda, tour the East Coast, from Florida to Rhode Island over the next year.

Evans, who opened Evans Jewelers at 236 E. Main St. here in 1991, retired last week, selling his well-established store to Edward W. Austermuehle and his wife, Debbie.

Main Street Jewelers will keep the current employees, with Connie Hicks as store manager.

Evans, who will be 70 in June, said that he’d been thinking about retirement for several years, but it took a heart attack back in September to convince him. “My doctor told me I had to,” he said.

“We’re going to travel,” Evan said, displaying photos of the spiffy spiffy new RV he has purchased. “First we’re going to Disney World. While it’s cold (here), we’re going to Florida.”

They plan to travel down the coast on U.S. 117, stopping in Charleston, S.C., and Savannah, Ga., on the way.

His wife said that when it gets warmer, they’ll head up the coast, to Amish Country and to Providence, R.I. Their dog, Penny, a Dachshund, will be riding along.

“We want to go to Colorado, too,” she said. “But that’ll be later.”

Both are natives of Johnston County – Evans grew up on a farm about four miles out Little Creek Church Road, and his wife is from Smithfield.

She said, “We’re looking forward to spending time together. We’re together here (at the store), but it’s not the same.” She retired from Carolina Power and Light Co. about five years ago and has been helping out at the store since then.

Evans, who has been working since 1957, started out with the A&P Tea Co., and after taking some business courses, had progressed into management training by 1968. He was going to be a store manager.

Then he met a man selling cookware, and he decided for a change.

“I became a pretty good cook,” he said, since he had to prepare a meal for clients to convince them to purchase the cookware.

Before long, Evans saw a jewelry show and had a conversation with the man in charge. “It was a small company, and they needed a salesman, so I signed on,” he said.

For the next 10 years, he traveled North and South Carolina, selling jewelry to big discount stores in both states.

Then he opened his own jewelry store in Smithfield in 1989.

“But my heart was here in Clayton,” he said. “So in 1991, I sold the store there and moved to Clayton. I bought this building from Dot Parker – it used to be part of the dime store.”

He is sincere in his love for the town. “I want my children and grandchildren to be able to walk the streets here like I did,” he said. “It’s a wonderful place to live.”

Main Street was the only U.S. 70 when he was growing up. “This out here was 70 highway,” he said.

Evans Jewelers has been open here since Sept. 11, 1991, serving a customer base of about 5,000 with “quality service and exceptional products.” They also do jewelry and watch repairs on site.

Last year, Evans was named to the National Who’s Who in Executives and Professionals.

But now it’s time for him to travel for pleasure, not business.

“I’ll miss it,” he said. “But people will keep coming (to the store). I appreciate the support of the people in Clayton. I’ve given them support, too.”

He is proud of his professional sales career and credits his success to “hard work.”

While the couple won’t be as easily available on Main Street from now own, the Evanses will be around – they’re keeping their house here. They are members of First Baptist Church, where he has served as a Deacon.

They will spend more time with the 10 grandchildren, too. Their daughter, Freida, lives in Boone with her five children; Daniel Jr. lives in Smithfield with his two boys; and daughter Anita lives near Sarasota, Fla., with her three children.