FAST-FIX JEWELRY AND WATCH REPAIRS® "Leaving jewelry or a watch behind to be repaired, whether it’s in the store or mailing it in for service, is unnerving for most people. It doesn’t matter if it’s a sentimental piece of jewelry, of little value or expensive, a simple repair or an extensive service. It’s stressful for a customer to be separated from their jewelry." This was a statement Mark Goldstein, our founder, had heard his father repeat a thousand times. Mark didn’t set out to become a jeweler, like his father. “I may have grown up the son of a jeweler, but I had no patience or interest in becoming one. I went to college to study education and business administration. I wanted to make my mark in the business world.” And he did, becoming a successful businessman in New York early in life

It wasn’t until a visit home for Thanksgiving in 1984, during a business brainstorming session with his brother, that the solution to his father’s dilemma finally hit him. “I was trying to imagine what a store would have to look like if customers were going to be able to meet the expert jeweler or watchmaker working on their item, and see with their own eyes, their watch or jewelry being repaired. The idea of a kiosk, something that is open on all sides, came to mind. That was my break-through moment.” Mark understood that, in order for store to be successful, he was going to have to create a new model, one focused on service, convenience, transparency, and fast jewelry and watch repairs. Combining the money, from his bonus along with the small amount in his savings, Mark hired his father and the two opened the first store (kiosk) that December in Century III Mall, in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. "We were set up across from Santa Claus. By the third day the line for our business was about as long as the line to see Santa. That’s when I truly understood how satisfying and important it was for customers to have their jewelry or watch repaired while they waited." Over the next two years Mark would open four more stores in the Pittsburgh area

The Fast-Fix company, based in Boca Raton, Florida, began franchising domestically, with the first franchise store opening in Dallas, Texas in 1987. Since then, more than 150 franchise locations have opened across 26 states, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. The company is turning its attention to expand in Canada as well as other markets throughout the U.S. People interested in franchising are drawn to the Fast-Fix brand because it’s a recession-resistant, year-round, service business that won’t be made obsolete by the Internet, unlike other brick-and-mortar retailers. Also, you don’t need experience or a background in jewelry and watch repair to be a successful franchisee. Each franchise location is staffed with professionals skilled in delivering fast, high-quality repairs, and providing friendly, courteous customer service. Like Mark and his father, franchise owners come from diverse career backgrounds.