WE’RE STILL POLISHING the crowns of this year’s America’s Coolest Stores Contest winners that our panel of expert judges decided on and can’t reveal them just yet. But to give you a taste of some of the 100-plus awesome stores that entered, we are going to let slip what we editors cumulatively picked as the best in each of the judging categories.
The exterior, interior, marketing and online presence of the stores featured here were outstanding enough to land them in the top five after preliminary judging by us INSTORE folks.
Check out instoremag.com the last week of July and look for our August issue to land in your mailbox about the same time to find out which 10 stores our judges chose to be the coolest in 2015.
Small Cool
Interior
THE EDITORS SAY: Star keeps colors to a minimum, allowing the jewelry to be the focal point in cases packed everywhere.
1. Veloce, Jewelry by Medawar, Portage, MI
2. Persona Jewelry+, Boston, MA
3. Star Jewelers on High, Columbus, OH
4. Peridot Fine Jewelry, Larchmont, NY
5. Dianna Rae Jewelry, Lafayette, LA
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Exterior
THE EDITORS SAY: From its font choice to its cream and black color scheme, Dianna Rae exudes sophistication and elegance.
1. Veloce, Jewelry by Medawar, Portage, MI
2. Peridot Fine Jewelry, Larchmont, NY
3. Dianna Rae Jewelry, Lafayette, LA
4. GB Jewelers, Warrenton, OR
5. The Goldsmith, Fond du Lac, WI
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Marketing
THE EDITORS SAY: Original photography gives Barry Peterson’s ads a look as distinctive and befitting the community as the jewelry itself.
1. Cut Fine Jewelers, Baton Rouge, LA
2. Peridot Fine Jewelry, Larchmont, NY
3. Dianna Rae Jewelry, Lafayette, LA
4. Barry Peterson Jewelers, Ketchum, ID
5. Single Stone San Marino, San Marino, CA
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Online Presence
THE EDITORS SAY: A full slate of up-to-date social media accounts plus a clean, responsive, product-focused website equal a winning online combination.
1. Peridot Fine Jewelry, Larchmont, NY
2. Persona Jewelry+, Boston, MA
3. Single Stone San Marino, San Marino, CA
4. Veloce, Jewelry by Medawar, Portage, MI
5. Cut Fine Jewelers, Baton Rouge, LA
Big Cool
Interior
THE EDITORS SAY: We love Diamonds Direct’s showroom featuring cave-like walls that imitate a diamond mine.
1. Schmitt Jewelers, Phoenix, AZ
2. J. David Jewelry, Broken Arrow, OK
3. Crocker’s Jewelers, Texarkana, TX
4. Diamonds Direct Fine Jewelers, St. Petersburg, FL
5. Bailey’s Fine Jewelry, Raleigh, NC
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Exterior
THE EDITORS SAY: Schmitt’s adobe-style architecture does a great job of complementing its local environment.
1. oldsmith Gallery Jewelers, Billings, MT
2. Crocker’s Jewelers, Texarkana, TX
3. Bailey’s Fine Jewelry, Raleigh, NC
4. Schmitt Jewelers, Phoenix, AZ
5. Jones Bros. Jewelers, Peoria, IL
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Marketing
THE EDITORS SAY: Consistent branding and punchy calls to action are seen throughout all Jack Lewis advertising.
1. Schmitt Jewelers, Phoenix, AZ
2. Devotion, Garden City, NY
3. Jack Lewis Jewelers, Bloomington, IL
4. Continental Diamond, St. Louis Park, MN
5. Crocker’s Jewelers, Texarkana, TX
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Online Presence
THE EDITORS SAY: From its mobile-friendly responsive website, to its up-to-date, interesting social media posts, J. David has all the bases covered.
1. J. David Jewelry, Broken Arrow, OK
2. Crocker’s Jewelers, Texarkana, TX
3. Wixon Jewelers, Minneapolis, MN
4. Day’s Jewelers, Waterville, ME
5. Bailey’s Fine Jewelry, Raleigh, NC