“Anything that means something to people, I’ll fix it,” says Port Alberni goldsmith Rob Liddicoat.
That simple philosophy has served Liddicoat and his customers well over the last decades.
“I enjoy what I do – bringing a smile to someone’s face when I return a favourite piece that’s ready to wear again, whatever it might be. I do a lot of repairs that other goldsmiths won’t touch, including costume jewellery,” Liddicoat explains.
Known throughout the central Island for his years at the helm of Parksville Jewellers, for much of that time Liddicoat and his wife also enjoyed visiting their cabin on Sproat Lake.
That time increased following initial retirement as the two pondered their next steps.
“We were sitting on the deck having a coffee one morning and we thought, why would we move anywhere else – this is beautiful,” he recalls.
Renovations and vacation followed, before Liddicoat decided he wasn’t quite ready for full retirement, and he recently opened up shop three days a week in Port Alberni.
Experience and tradition
After beginning his career as a naval engineer and in a mechanic’s shop, Liddicoat took those “big picture” skills and applied them to smaller-scale jewellery work, following his father-in-law into goldsmithing in the Parksville business. “I have always enjoyed the satisfaction of doing the work – I have fun doing it,” he says.
No surprise many of his customers from Parksville and Qualicum have followed Liddicoat to Port Alberni, but he welcomes many new local faces to the shop as well.
Watch this! Offering basic watch repair, Liddicoat can also help customers troubleshoot possible problems and sells batteries, watch bands and similar solutions.
Shining solutions: “We’re a full-service repair shop,” Liddicoat says, noting he repairs all gold and silver jewellery, including small gemstone clasps. “None of it is sent away, everything is done here on-site.” While repairs are typically completed within a few days to a week, emergency repairs are also possible.
Design time: And for those looking for that special Rob Liddicoat piece, the goldsmith will accept some special design requests.
Visit Rob Liddicoat Jewellery Repair at Redford Street and 10th Avenue, next to Serious Coffee in the plaza. Store hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Stop by the store, call 778-421-3013 or email robliddicoat@shaw.ca