THE FIRST TIME I heard about the America’s Coolest Stores Contest was two years ago. I was on a Zoom call with an industry friend who kept looking around at the background in my video, asking, “Where are you?” I mentioned I was just in my store’s showroom, and she immediately said I should consider entering the INSTORE Magazine America’s Coolest Stores contest. I had never heard of the contest before, but of course I knew the publication. I quickly did a web search and was so excited to see that it was about six months until the entry process would open.
I put it on my calendar and got to work on some prep for the entry. Knowing that the judges wouldn’t be able to fly to see each store in person, I knew photos of my showroom would be super-important for the entry. So, during one of our scheduled photoshoots of a new collection, I asked our photographer to take some images of our store, which I figured we could use for social media and the contest entry.
When it became open to apply, I hopped on the site and started in on the questions. Skimming through all the sections, I felt a bit overwhelmed, but thankfully there was plenty of time to think about everything and come back and edit if needed. I sort of stopped in my tracks when I saw the sections for “Budget for Buildout” and “Interior Designer Name.” I chuckled to myself since we designed everything ourselves on a shoestring budget. Continuing through the application, I finally found the section to upload photos. I had photos of my showroom, my team, our jewelry, customers shopping in the store and even some in-store events we’ve hosted. Together, I think it showed a complete picture of who we are as a company and the overall feel of our store.
I hit submit and waited. To my absolute surprise and shock, we got an email months later that we had won! Hilariously, I wasn’t quite sure what place we won: runner-up, first, third place … but knew we had won something. It wasn’t until the editor of the magazine was actually in our store and interviewing me for our article that I realized the magnitude of what happened.
We had won first place!
It still totally blows my mind and just makes me feel so proud of everything our little team of five women has been able to accomplish. If you’re hesitant about entering, just do it! You never know what’s going to happen.
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Closing With Confidence: How Bailey's Fine Jewelry Achieved Outstanding Results With Wilkerson
When Trey Bailey, President and CEO of Bailey's Fine Jewelry, decided to close the Crabtree location in Raleigh, North Carolina after 15 years, he knew the decision needed to be handled with intention and professionalism. The goal was clear: exit the location while maintaining financial strength and honoring the store's legacy.
Having worked with Wilkerson successfully in the past, Bailey understood the value of their comprehensive approach. "They understood both the emotional and financial sides of the store closing sale," Trey explains. "Their reputation for professionalism, results and care made it a very easy decision."
The results exceeded expectations. Wilkerson helped Bailey's sell through significant inventory while maintaining the dignity of the closing process. "They don't just run a sale, they help close a chapter in the best way possible," Bailey says, strongly recommending Wilkerson to any jeweler facing a similar transition.
