Ben Moss Jewellers

Ben Moss Jewellers is a Canadian jewellery retail brand with roots in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where Ben Moss established the business in 1910. It developed from a local jewellery store into a regional and eventually national Canadian chain serving customers primarily through shopping-centre locations across the Prairies and other parts of western and central Canada. Following Ben Moss's death in 1962, his son-in-law Sidney Trepel assumed control of the single-store business. During Trepel's tenure, from 1962 to 1986, the company expanded to 17 stores. In 1986, Brent Trepel, Ben Moss's grandson, took over operational leadership because of his father's poor health. He served as president and chief executive officer until July 2013, when the business was sold to JSN Jewellery, a Toronto-based jewellery manufacturer. Under Brent Trepel, Ben Moss Jewellers grew substantially. The chain reached 67 stores and employed more than 600 people at its reported peak under his leadership. The company was recognized in Canadian retail and business circles, including repeated inclusion among Canada's best-managed private companies, recognition from the Retail Council of Canada as an innovative retailer, and awards from Canadian Jeweler Magazine. Trepel himself received business leadership recognition, including inclusion in the Financial Post's Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 and an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for the Prairie region. The chain reported 63 stores in western and central Canada in 2010. After the 2013 sale to JSN Jewellery, the business encountered financial difficulties. JSN Jewellery placed Ben Moss Jewellers into receivership in 2016, and the company announced in July of that year that it would close its operations, including all 54 remaining store locations. This marked the end of the original operating company after more than a century in business. In January 2017, Halifax-based Charm Diamond Centres announced that it had acquired the Ben Moss Jewellers brand rights. Charm also rehired many former employees and reopened two Winnipeg stores, while indicating that additional locations could follow. The acquisition preserved the name as a retail brand even though the former corporate operation had ceased trading. Ben Moss Jewellers is therefore best understood as a long-established Canadian jewellery retail name that transitioned from family ownership, through corporate ownership and insolvency, to brand ownership by another Canadian jewellery retailer.

Ben Moss Jewellers began in 1910 when Ben Moss founded a jewellery store in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The business remained a single-store operation until Moss's death in 1962, when his son-in-law Sidney Trepel took over. Trepel expanded the company steadily over the next two decades, increasing its footprint to 17 shopping-centre stores across the Prairie provinces by 1986. That year, Ben Moss's grandson Brent Trepel assumed responsibility for the company because of his father's poor health. He became president and chief executive officer and led the business until its sale in 2013. During his leadership, the company moved beyond its regional roots and developed into a prominent Canadian jewellery chain. Its network eventually reached 67 stores, with a workforce of more than 600 employees. A 2010 account reported 63 stores operating in western and central Canada. The Brent Trepel era was also associated with recognition from Canadian business and retail organizations. The company was included among Canada's 50 best-managed private companies for six consecutive years. It was also recognized by the Retail Council of Canada as an innovative retailer and was named jewellery chain retailer of the year by Canadian Jeweler Magazine for two consecutive years. Brent Trepel separately received business awards and recognition, including Financial Post Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 and an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in the Prairie business-to-consumer products and services category. In July 2013, ownership passed from the Trepel family to JSN Jewellery, a Toronto-based jewellery manufacturer. The new ownership period was followed by financial difficulties. In 2016, JSN Jewellery placed Ben Moss Jewellers into receivership. In July of that year, Ben Moss announced the closure of its operations and all 54 remaining stores. The shutdown ended the original retail company after more than 100 years of operation. The brand was subsequently separated from the failed operating business. In January 2017, Charm Diamond Centres, headquartered in Halifax, announced that it had acquired the Ben Moss Jewellers brand rights. Charm rehired many former Ben Moss employees and reopened two locations in Winnipeg, with plans reported for additional stores. The result was a transition from a family-founded and family-led chain, to a manufacturer-owned retailer, to a revived brand operated under the ownership of another Canadian jewellery retailer.

• 2017

  Brand rights acquired by Charm Diamond Centres

  [1]Ben Moss Jewellersen.wikipedia.org

  Charm Diamond Centres acquired the brand rights and reopened two Winnipeg stores.

• 2016

  Receivership and shutdown

  [1]Ben Moss Jewellersen.wikipedia.org

  Following financial difficulties, the company entered receivership and announced the closure of its 54 remaining stores.

• 2013

  Sale to JSN Jewellery

  [1]Ben Moss Jewellersen.wikipedia.org

  JSN Jewellery acquired the company from the Trepel family.

• 2010

  Chain reports 63 Canadian stores

  [1]Ben Moss Jewellersen.wikipedia.org

  Ben Moss Jewellers was reported to operate 63 stores across western and central Canada.

• 1986

  Brent Trepel becomes chief executive

  [1]Ben Moss Jewellersen.wikipedia.org

  Brent Trepel took over management and began the period of major chain expansion.

• 1962

  Sidney Trepel assumes control

  [1]Ben Moss Jewellersen.wikipedia.org

  After Ben Moss died, his son-in-law Sidney Trepel took over the single-store business.

• 1910

  Business founded in Winnipeg

  [1]Ben Moss Jewellersen.wikipedia.org

  Ben Moss established the jewellery business in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

A Canadian mall-based jewellery retailer combining traditional local-store heritage with a broad chain-store presence, with products centred on bridal jewellery, diamonds, gold and giftable jewellery.

• Jewellery

  Bridal jewellery

  Bridal jewellery was a core category for the chain, including engagement rings and wedding bands. These products fit the traditional full-service jewellery-store model and were part of the brand's broader offering for milestone purchases and wedding-related gifting.

• Jewellery

  Diamond jewellery

  Diamond jewellery formed part of Ben Moss Jewellers' traditional merchandise mix. The category included diamond-set rings and other fine-jewellery pieces sold through the chain's Canadian retail locations.

• Jewellery

  Gold jewellery

  Gold jewellery was another standard category associated with the retailer. The chain's store format supported sales of gold pieces for everyday wear, gifts and special occasions.

• Accessories and gifts

  Watches and jewellery gifts

  The retailer also operated within the broader jewellery and gift market, including watch and gift-oriented products. Specific brands, collections and product specifications are not established by the supplied reference material.

• 2017

  Acquire and revive the Ben Moss brandM&A

  Background

  Following the shutdown of the original company, the Ben Moss name remained a potentially usable Canadian retail brand.

  Action taken

  Charm Diamond Centres acquired the brand rights, rehired many former employees and reopened two Winnipeg stores.

  Aftermath

  The Ben Moss name continued under new ownership, with additional store openings considered.

  Source

• 2016

  Wind down the original retail operationStrategy

  Background

  Financial difficulties affecting JSN Jewellery resulted in Ben Moss Jewellers entering receivership.

  Action taken

  The company announced that it would shut down all of its operations, including 54 stores.

  Aftermath

  The original operating company ceased its retail operations after more than 100 years, although the brand was later acquired and revived.

  Source

• 2013

  Sell the family-controlled chain to JSN JewelleryM&A

  Background

  After Brent Trepel's tenure as president and chief executive, ownership of Ben Moss Jewellers changed hands.

  Action taken

  The company was sold to JSN Jewellery, a Toronto-based jewellery manufacturer.

  Aftermath

  The subsequent ownership period ended with financial difficulties and receivership in 2016.

  Source

• 2017

  Charm Diamond Centres acquires Ben Moss brand rights[1]Ben Moss Jewellersen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Product launch

  Charm Diamond Centres acquired the Ben Moss Jewellers brand rights, rehired many former employees and reopened two Winnipeg stores while considering further locations.

• 2016

  Ben Moss Jewellers placed into receivership[1]Ben Moss Jewellersen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy

  Financial difficulties affecting JSN Jewellery led to Ben Moss Jewellers entering receivership.

• 2016

  Ben Moss Jewellers announces closure of its remaining stores[1]Ben Moss Jewellersen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy

  The company announced that it would wind down its operations and close all 54 remaining store locations after more than a century in business.

• 2013

  Ben Moss Jewellers sold to JSN Jewellery[1]Ben Moss Jewellersen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  The long-standing family-controlled jewellery chain was sold to JSN Jewellery, a Toronto-based jewellery manufacturer, ending the Trepel family's direct control of the business.

1. 1Ben Moss Jewellersen.wikipedia.org