For this family, shining sales

LARGO -- When Art Arbutine opened a small retail shop with some coins and American Indian jewelry 30 years ago, he figured if he made $12 a day, he would break even.

He had just finished an Air Force career as a master sergeant and wanted to try his hand at being his own boss.

"I didn't want to fail," he said. "With a wife and three kids, the fear of failing motivated me more than anything."

He didn't fail.

Today, Arbutine and his wife, Patricia, share a multimillion-dollar operation with their three sons.

Five months ago, the family left its original Belleair Bluffs location and moved into a $2.1-million facility in Largo that they designed and built on a former bank site at 1350 West Bay Drive.

With its graceful cupola, the Arbutines like to say, the imposing building looks a little like Jefferson's Monticello on the back of a nickel. Arched windows, set against walls painted in sand hues and trimmed with a white border, feature colorful posters of larger-than-life-size gold coins, along with Lenox and Versace china, diamond rings, Lladro figurines, a Faberge egg and Swarovski crystal.

The two-story, 15,000-square-foot building houses two family businesses: the Silver Queen, started in 1978 by Mrs. Arbutine as a sterling silver pattern-matching service, and Arbutine's circa 1973 Belleair Coins Gold & Diamonds.

For years, the businesses operated side by side in separate, cramped quarters. The Silver Queen sold silver flatware, silver accessories and gift items first to dealers, then retail by catalog and, in recent years, to a worldwide clientele via the Internet.

In their new place, the Arbutines have space for their first ever showroom.

Glittering Waterford crystal chandeliers hang high above display tables and illuminated dark wood cabinets, giving the large room a soft, intimate light. The room's merchandise includes silverware, crystal, china, figurines, clocks, jewelry chests, sculptures, gold and diamond jewelry and jeweled boxes. A solid silver Gorham spoon about 4 feet long is reputed to be the largest silver spoon in the world.

The store offers new and used silver pieces and new and estate jewelry. On the pricey side, a new five-piece Wallace sterling tea set in the Grande Baroque pattern can be purchased for $7,360; the tray is sold separately for $6,000. An estate bracelet with 10 carats of diamonds and 21/2 carats of emeralds sells for $15,000. At the other end, a baby's first Christmas ornament sells for $4.95.

Several display cases feature a collection of silver museum pieces, mainly the craftsmanship of English and American silversmiths. Among them is a simple demitasse spoon by Paul Revere.

The Arbutines' son Greg, 38, is president and chief executive officer of the Silver Queen.

"We all grew up in the business," he said. "Mom was very proactive about getting us to come on board."

Last year, the Silver Queen's sales totaled $6-million, he said.

In a small room to the side of the showroom one finds Belleair Coins, Gold and Diamonds. Arbutine son Jay, 36, is president and chief executive officer, but Dad still works a 40- to 50-hour week. Here customers can buy and sell everything from rare coins to watch parts. And they can have their silver, china, crystal and jewelry appraised for insurance purposes or evaluated at no charge.

Art Arbutine usually travels twice a year on buying and selling trips to Singapore and Hong Kong, and many of the figurines he has collected from that part of the world can be purchased from display cases.

Belleair Coins, Gold and Diamonds' sales totaled nearly $5-million last year.

The third Arbutine son, Chris, 37, is the chief buyer of jewelry, china and crystal. He also was recently re-elected mayor of Belleair Bluffs.

"We thought we were pretty well-known in our old location, but people have come in here who didn't even know we existed," said Chris Arbutine. "The move has been great."

The businesses together have 23 full-time employees, he said, and one part-time. Art Arbutine's brother Gil has worked there since 1978, and his daughters Beth and Kathy have joined the sales force.

The back part of the building has a 3,000-square-foot warehouse and a 1,000-square-foot packing and shipping area. "This time of year, we send out 100 to 200 packages a day," said Art Arbutine. During the Christmas holidays, it moves up to 400 to 500 packages a day, he said.

New to the business is an on-site watchmaker and an on-site jeweler. "It's part of our effort," said Chris Arbutine, "to do everything on the premises -- create, buy, sell and repair."

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