Mr. Gold at The Grove: Who is he?

If you’ve ever driven, walked, biked or jogged south on South Apopka Vineland-Road by The Grove at Isleworth, you’ve likely seen a man dressed in gold from head to toe and waving a “We Buy Gold” sign. 

That’s Mr. Gold, aka Erik Morgan. 

Morgan began working for Gianni Vincent Jewellers in 2020 and has since become popular within the community, bringing smiles and positivity to all those who interact with him. 

Located at 4757 The Grove Drive, Unit 164, Windermere, Gianni Vincent Jewellers sells jewelry and buys gold — something the owners have done since they opened the Diamond Exchange on East Colonial Drive in 2010. 

That’s where Mr. Gold first made an appearance to the public, quickly becoming popular because of his looks, moves and positive attitude. 

When the owners decided to relocate to Windermere, they knew they had to bring the community’s favorite sign-holder with them. 

Although the original Mr. Gold has moved to North Carolina, his legacy remains intact today, through Morgan, his hard work and bright spirits. 

“I’m on my own type of level,” Morgan said. “I know he did his thing, and I’m the next one in line doing my thing.” 

He dances a little, waves and draws dozens of people’s attention to him on a daily basis. 

Over the past six years, Morgan has become more than just a man holding a sign. He’s a symbol of dedication and inspiration to the people who meet him. 

Through consistency, hard work and a desire to put smiles on people’s faces, Morgan now is a staple in the Windermere and Dr. Phillips communities. 

What was supposed to be a job like others he had in the past ended up deeply impacting his life through the kindness of community members and coworkers. And now, he’s carving his own legacy by defeating the odds. 

Under the gold mask 

Under the mask, there’s a man with a heart of gold. 

Morgan was born premature, which led to long-term vision impairments. At 1 year old, Morgan’s twin died.

Today, Morgan does not see out of one of his eyes and has blurred vision in the other. 

Even then, he perseveres. 

He always has been motivated to be the best he can be, overcoming challenges through positivity and faith. 

He went to a school for the blind, where he learned to navigate the world with his impairment and has never let it get in the way of his success. 

He played basketball and ran track while in middle and high schools. He works out on the weekends to stay in good shape — something he said is important for this job. 

Enduring Florida’s weather is no joke, but he always is prepared by staying fit, hydrated and positive. 

“I love being out there enjoying the weather when it’s good,” he said.  

While suffering from cataracts is hard, he finds ways to get tasks done. 

He goes through the parking lot and gets to his positions by himself, safely navigating through cars and taking his time with his cane. 

When he’s out there as Mr. Gold, he is happy and fulfilled. 

“I love doing my job,” he said. “That’s what makes me happy. Every day, I see wonderful people and meet a lot of people. They’re always so surprised to see I’m in gold. People will come and take pictures with me, people do videos on TikTok with me, and that’s the type of energy that I love.” 

From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, Morgan is on the side of the road doing what he loves. 

“I love the love people give me, like ‘Thank you for being out here,’ ‘I see you doing a great job,’ and even the little kids that pass me every morning wave their hands at me saying ‘Hi Mr. Gold,’” Morgan said. 

He said some people go up to him to thank him for making their days better and brighter, which is what Morgan hopes to accomplish daily. 

The love he receives on a daily basis now is his new norm, but there was a time where he was shocked to learn the amount of people who care about him and talk to him. 

While he’s had different sign-holding jobs, he’s never interacted with as many people as he does as Mr. Gold. 

“It surprises me every day the amount of people that come up to me, loving the work that I do,” he said. “If we’re talking numbers, (at different jobs), it’d be six people per day, but here I run into 20 to 30 people every day.” 

He recalls the first time he went on vacation after working as Mr. Gold and being told people were going into the jewelry shop looking for him because he was not outside. 

Even children would question where he was. 

“That’s my favorite moment,” he said. “When I realized people have missed me. … People enjoy seeing me out there.” 

He’s a helper and a giver, always caring for those around him. 

That also is reciprocated. 

Morgan said he has phenomenal bosses and coworkers who are there for him at all times of the day. 

“I’ve had other jobs where my bosses and coworkers weren’t there for me,” he said. “It made me feel like I was on my own, like I had to figure it out alone.” 

At Gianni Vincent Jewellers, he’s not worried about a lack of support, he’s not concerned about whether he’s doing a good job. Through the job’s positive work culture, he knows they’re there for him, he’s doing a good job, he’s working hard and it is paying off. 

Keeping the legacy alive 

Morgan is part of a local tradition. While he respects the legacy of the original Mr. Gold, he wants people to know he’s his own person, creating greatness the way he knows how. 

“I want to be able to stand out from the other gold guy,” Morgan said. 

And he was able to accomplish that in the six years he’s been with the company through his positivity efforts. 

“Whatever you stick me with, I’m going to accomplish it,” he said. “I’m not going to let anything bring me down. I’m a fighter; that’s the one thing about me. I’m a fighter, and I’m going to keep going and keep getting through things.” 

While some people drive by and say negative comments to him, he doesn’t let it affect him. 

He navigates every day with grace, love and positivity, attributing his demeanor to God, his bosses, coworkers, family members and daily regimen. 

Morgan soon will have surgery to clear his vision and will have to take some time off work to recuperate. 

“I’m nervous about it, but I feel like this is my year,” he said. “Once it gets done, I’ll be doing more great things.” 

He has waited for years for this surgery and is confident now is the time to get it done. 

Once he’s healed, he said he’s going right back to work. 

He truly loves being Mr. Gold and what he’s able to accomplish through the persona. 

He hopes to continue to be out there Mondays through Fridays as Mr. Gold, interacting with residents and commuters one wave, one dance and one smile at a time. 

To him, the job is way more than just holding a sign — it’s about spreading positivity, working hard and being proud of his work at the end of the day. 

He hopes to serve as inspiration for others, claiming if he can do it in his situation, others can too. 

“Never give up and keep pushing, because we can do it,” he said.