Business 1 on 1 with Sam Satterfield, co-owner of Satterfield & Dempsey Jewelers in Warner Robins

Sam Satterfield, co-owner with Van Dempsey, Satterfield & Dempsey Jewelers, 621 S. Houston Lake Road, Warner Robins; 971-1200.

How long have you been in business?: About a year after getting out of the U.S. Air Force in 1988, Satterfield was hired as part-time Christmas help at the former Strauther Harris Jewelers in the former Houston Mall. He was hired by Dempsey, who was the manager at the time. Satterfield ended up with a full-time job and later became an assistant manager of the store.

Dempsey left in the mid-1990s and opened Van’s Pawn Mart in Macon, while Satterfield stayed with Strauther until the owner was ready to retire in 2000. That’s when Satterfield and Dempsey decided to become partners and open Satterfield & Dempsey in a strip center across from Houston County Galleria mall.

“In 2006 we built this freestanding store. So we’ve been open 15 years.”

What do you like best about your job?: “I like to make people smile. It’s a feel-good type of business. About 90 percent of the people come in and -- I say this kind of tongue in cheek -- they want to spend money and get a good value for what they’re spending. They are coming in to get engaged or to get somebody a Christmas present or birthday present or anniversary gift. Some come in to buy themselves something like a new watch or ring.”

What is your specialty?: “We do in-store jewelry repair. We are full service, not just what we sell. We do ring sizings, setting the stones, along with watch repair, jewelry repair. We’re gemologists and do insurance appraisals.

“We really specialize in diamonds and engagement rings. That’s kind of my passion.”

What are your future plans?: “Honestly, ... what we’re doing is working. Everything is going very well, and we will keep trying to improve on what we’re doing.”

Correction: An earlier version of this story misspelled Strauther Harris.

This story was originally published September 13, 2015 at 10:22 PM with the headline "Business 1 on 1 with Sam Satterfield, co-owner of Satterfield & Dempsey Jewelers in Warner Robins ."