Last week, Roger Butler Jewelers entered a new era. The venerable store changed names and moved to another location.

Such has been the history of the store. It has moved and evolved with the times since 1845. In a sense, the store has become an institution in our town. It has been guided by seven different ownerships and it has survived civil wars and world wars.

The store provides the finer things in life. When times are good, people want lots of finer things. When times are tough, they tend to go without rubies and diamonds.

Yet the store has endured through the many ups and downs of the local and national economy. It provides quality people know and trust.

We want to thank the Butler family and the Truax family for their latest addition to our town. By renovating the old Kress building and moving Roger Butler Jewelers into the building, the family has shown it is committed to Selma and the downtown area.

What they have done is create a beautiful building that adds to the integrity and core of Selma.

When businesses make such a commitment, often others follow. We would think those at city hall who are paid to promote and preserve downtown are very happy about the move and what it means for downtown Selma.

The success of the new Butler-Truax Jewelers did not come by accident. The store is known for having a good selection of merchandise at fair prices. The employees are trained on how to do their jobs.

The store is clean and has good signage. The store’s owners market and promote the merchandise and services very well.

All this adds up to a successful retail business. Many business owners in Selma should examine what the store’s management has done to be successful. What they have done is not the stuff of mystery and it can be duplicated.

We congratulate Butler-Truax Jewelers on their new move and name change. We wish them many more successful years.