Editors’ Choice

WE STILL CAN’T TELL you which stores were ultimately our judges’ choices. You’re going to have to wait for our August issue to find out the coolest of them all. But we can crack open our vault a bit and let you see what we editors thought were the best Small and Big stores within individual judging categories.

The interior, exterior, marketing materials or website of the stores featured here were good enough to land them in the top five after preliminary judging by INSTORE editors.

Check back in August (or at instoremag.com the last week of July) to find out who’s the 2014 king (or queen) of cool.

Small Cool

Interior

THE EDITORS SAY: J Landa’s dark interior creates a sense of drama, which makes for an entirely unique shopping experience.

1. Veloce, Jewelry by Medawar, Portage, MI

2. Kelly Mitchell, Dallas, TX

3. J. Landa, Houston, TX

4. Bartholomew Jewelers, Memphis, TN

5. Gem Jewelry Boutique, Oak Park, IL

Exterior

THE EDITORS SAY: Walk up to Mitchell’s entryway, and you may think you’re entering a museum of modern art.

1. Bruno Fine Jewelers; Diamonds by the Waterfall, Mercer, PA

2. Mitchell’s Jewelry, Norman, OK

3. Veloce, Jewelry by Medawar, Portage, MI

4. Rock Hard Designs, Pensacola, FL

5. Alchemy, Portland, OR

Marketing

THE EDITORS SAY: Great photography of fabulous pieces with minimal text and the store’s logo sums up Single Stone’s simple, effective advertising philosophy.

1. My House of Style, Birmingham, MI

2. Love & Luxe, San Francisco, CA

3. Single Stone on Mission Street, San Marino, CA

4. Veloce, Jewelry by Medawar, Portage, MI

5. Shetler Wade Jewelers, San Antonio, TX

Online Presence

THE EDITORS SAY: The store’s concentration on fashion jewelry is highlighted by carefully chosen photos from suppliers used dramatically on Veloce’s homepage.

1. Love & Luxe, San Francisco, CA

2. Kelly Mitchell, Dallas, TX

3. Veloce, Jewelry by Medawar, Portage, MI

4. Alchemy, Portland, OR

5. My House of Style, Birmingham, MI

Big Cool

Interior

THE EDITORS SAY: Russell Korman combines the sleek look of branded watch in-store boutiques with a traditional Texas feel — including a longhorn sculpture near the entrance.

1. Russell Korman Fine Jewelry, Diamonds & Watches, Austin, TX

2. Grogan Jewelers, Florence, AL

3. Feldmar Watch Company, Los Angeles, CA

4. Mervis Diamond Importers, Washington, DC

5. Lewis Diamonds & Timepieces, Webster, TX

Exterior

THE EDITORS SAY: One of the coolest holiday decorations we’ve seen: a lighted bow that wraps the entire building.

1. The Wedding Ring Shop, Honolulu, HI

2. Black, Starr & Frost, Newport Beach, CA

3. Grogan Jewelers, Florence, AL

4. Edmund T. Ahee Jewelers, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI

5. Schmitt Jewelers, Phoenix, AZ

Marketing

THE EDITORS SAY: A Zamboni atop the “nice ice” of an engagement ring? Literally cool!

1. Edmund T. Ahee Jewelers, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI

2. JF Kruse Jewelers, Saint Cloud, MN

3. G. Thrapp Jewelers, Indianapolis, IN

4. Wixon Jewelers, Minneapolis, MN

5. Mignon Faget, New Orleans, LA

Online Presence

THE EDITORS SAY: chmitt’s website leaves no doubt the jeweler is capable of top custom work.

1. A1. Mignon Faget, New Orleans, LA

2. The Wedding Ring Shop, Honolulu, HI

3. Black, Starr & Frost, Newport Beach, CA

4. Yelton Fine Jewelers, West Chester, OH

5. Schmitt Jewelers, Phoenix, AZ