8 RETAILER HALL OF FAME 2019 C athy Calhoun got her start in the jewelry indus- try because of a shocking and unfortunate event. But she became a success because of her intel- ligence, tenacity and passion. Calhoun has been given opportunities, yes, but she has also made her own luck through dedication to continuing education. It has made her knowledgeable not just about jewel- ry—Calhoun is both a graduate gemologist and certified gemolo- gist appraiser—but about what it takes to succeed in retail. The jeweler is the kind of person who makes it a point to not just do things, but do them well, observes close friend and colleagueTer- ry Chandler, president and CEO of Diamond Council ofAmerica. She learns everything there is to possibly know about a subject, whether it is owning a jewelry store, driving a race car or flying a plane. (And, yes, Calhoun knows how to do the latter two as well.) “She’s constantly re-educating herself and updating the in- formation in her head to know the latest and the best practic- es,” Chandler says. “She’s never satisfied. It’s always a work in progress with her, and that’s why she’s so successful.” Without being asked, Calhoun will tell you as much. It's a sunny spring afternoon at her store, about an hour outside Philadelphia, and we are chatting at the bar. Sheinstalledthiscountertop,wherecustomerscanrelaxandhave somethingtoeatordrink,in2004,whichistosay:Calhounwason The Royersford, Pennsylvania jeweler known as “The Queen” opens her vault of incredible stories and expertly selected antique jewelry. Come inside with us. CATHY CALHOUN SINGLE-STORE INDEPENDENT INDUCTEE ALL HAIL BY MICHELLE GRAFF caption TK 2019 RETAILER HALL OF FAME Cathy Calhoun in her Spring City, Pennsylvania home, a renovated bank originally built in 1872. She’s pictured here in front of the upstairs bank vault, which she transformed into a bar.