'This is what we fought for'

By BILL BULEY

Staff Writer

COEUR d’ALENE — As Zack Miller was leaving Clark’s Diamond Jewelers on Friday, he was holding son Sawyer in his arms — and in a mood to celebrate.

The Sandpoint man had a refund check for an engagement ring for his girlfriend he purchased there over the holidays.

“Came down here, picked out the right ring and pretty much got it for free,” he said.

It was kind of a party at the Sherman Avenue jewelry store on the first day that people could receive their refunds as part of Clark’s Let it Snow promotion.

There were balloons, cookies, mimosas and sales, too, as people wandered in and out on a sunny day.

After a dispute with the insurance company was recently settled, customers who made purchases between Nov. 22 and Dec. 31 received refunds because it snowed more than 3 inches on Jan. 11 in Coeur d’Alene.

Miller said coworkers told him about the deal during the holidays so he headed to Clark’s.

“It was a total gamble,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting to get my money back.”

But he did and he was happy. Miller declined to say exactly how much of a refund he received.

“It was good enough,” he said, laughing.

Clark’s manager Kimberly Wickham loved the store’s atmosphere.

“It is very energetic,” she said. “As soon as we opened up the door, we’ve been busy the whole time. People are celebrating with us.”

Refunds ranged from about $25 to $30,000. Clark’s asked people what they plan to do with their windfalls and the answers included buying furniture, putting it in a college fund, and taking a vacation. Some opted to take advantage of deals being offered Friday and buy jewelry at Clark’s.

Wickham showed off a yellow diamond ring on her finger and said it was free since she bought it during the Let It Snow promotion.

“I’m not a gambler, but I believed it was going to happen and it did,” she said.

The dispute goes back to this:

Coeur d’Alene climatologist Cliff Harris measured 3.6 inches of snow in that 24-hour window on Jan. 11. But Clark’s insurance company declined to pay the claim after using measurement data provided by Illinois-based Weather Command, which initially recorded just 1.8 inches of snow that day. 

Clark’s asked for an audit and the data returned from Weather Command with an updated report of 2.3 inches.

However, the insurance company shortly afterward changed course and agreed to cover the policy that will pay out an estimated $500,000.

Wickham had no doubts the refunds would come.

“I still believed it was going to happen,” she said. “Our customers deserved it because it did happen. I envisioned this whole day.”

Store owner “Jeweler” Jane Clark was delighted as she talked to customers.

“This is what we fought for, to be able to give people their money back,” she said. “To be able to put over a half a million dollars back into the local community is wonderful.”

She said customers have plenty of time to get their refunds.

“Today’s just the first day,” she said.

Sean and Tobi Pratt of Worley didn’t wait. Sean bought his wife a bracelet at Clark’s for Christmas, so they followed the promotion. When they heard the dispute was settled, they headed to Clark’s.

Sean plans to use the refund of about $2,000 to pay off a Tiffany watch he bought his wife for her birthday and Valentine’s Day.

“It’s awesome,” he said

“We really are happy with it,” Tobi Pratt added.

Bill Perkins came and left with a check for $325 after he bought a Christmas gift for his wife at Clark’s during the promotion.

“To have this happen is fun for the town and fun for Clark’s,” he said.

The Coeur d’Alene man wasn’t sure how the money would be spent.

“I think my wife gets it,” he said.