Quality merchandise, superior service and owning your own building are prerequisites for flourishing in Bermuda?s retail sector, according to Allen Porter, co-owner of Solomon?s Fine Jewellers, which marks its 30th anniversary in business today.

Solomon?s opened in 1975 along with fellow retailers 27th Century and Harbourmaster. All are still in business.

While there certainly are even older retailers here, Mr. Porter said the three stores opened during a recession and ?everything that could go wrong did go wrong in the world, but all three survived it and prospered because we stayed with high quality and haven?t deviated?.

Mr. Porter, who still tends Solomon?s, attributes success to ?just being there, working hard and doing the best you can?.

?We have always tried to carry really good quality and better than the average,? he said. The shop has been a frequent winner of ?Best of Bermuda? awards and boasts of serving the second and even third generations of original customers.

Solomon?s moved into its current premises on Front Street just one year after it opened on the second floor of Washington Mall. The mall shop was later closed to focus on the Front Street location.

?This block has always maintained good quality. Always. There is Cecile and Vera P. Card, Walker Christopher, The Irish Linen Shop and now Coopers and we are opposite the bank and ferry terminal. In the old days, when the Bermudiana Hotel was there, it was wonderful because all of the people walked by and we had first crack before they got to the other blocks,? he said.

In the heyday of tourism the store had 11 employees. Now there are four-and-a-half. The customer base has also changed from mostly tourists to mostly local. Diamond engagement rings are the biggest seller at the store.

Today, the first 30 customers who make a purchase will have opportunity to enter a draw for $12,000 in merchandise and walk out with a bottle of complimentary champagne ? a gift meant to help customers feel a part of the anniversary celebration.

The celebration of three decades in business is perhaps even sweeter for the owners and their employees since the whole business almost went up in smoke this summer when a fire started in a display window.

Passers by who called emergency before the fire alarm was even triggered along with fast moving firefighters prevented the fire from gutting the store as well as neighbouring businesses.

?We could have been completely been wiped out along with this block,? Mr. Porter said.

Fortunately, Only items in the display case were lost although the shop suffered significant smoke damage.