Enchanting Renovation Creates Magical Jewelry-Shopping Experience for This Massachusetts Jewelry Store

ilah Cibis Jewelry, Worcester, MA

OWNER: ilah Cibis; URL: : ilahjewelry.com; ONLINE PRESENCE: 4.9 stars on Google; 1,253; FOUNDED: 2006; Opened featured location: : 2023; AREA: 3,200 square feet; ARCHITECT AND DESIGN: Penn Ruderman of OPRCH. Kevin McLaughlin, Heritage Exteriors; Wood restoration by John Powers; special construction elements and showcases by Joe Stansky. Art direction and custom murals by John Vo and Hank VonHellion.; EMPLOYEES: 5

ilah Cibis

WELCOMING CLIENTS INTO a jewelry store through a dim, enclosed entryway with night forest sounds and looming faux trees may seem risky, but owner ilah Cibis set out to create an experience both magical and extreme.

“My goal was leaving the day-to-day reality behind and going someplace different,” says Cibis, who dreamed up one interactive feature after another to install in the broken-down garage structure she bought in Gloucester, MA.

Upon entry, customers see hundreds of twinkling fiber-optic lights, creating a starry sky effect along the 12-foot-high ceiling. Eleven-foot trees loom, holding glowing orbs, which are brass-rimmed shadow boxes. The shadow boxes change seasonally, and in spring, they’re teeming with colorful mushrooms, caterpillars, and animals, including Kenny, the resident faux squirrel.

It’s not all visual. They’ll also hear a night soundscape designed by a Tony-nominated sound designer.

“Everyone says the entrance is amazing,” Cibis says. “People almost get stuck in there. It’s unexpected and it is dark. We quickly realized we had to put a sign on the door.”

The sign suggests visitors take a moment to let their eyes adjust to darkness. “Now they walk in, take a minute, look in the trees and get into the mood and vibe.”

The idea was to create an experience surprising enough to wipe out any preconceived notions of what a jewelry store is. “When I walk into a jewelry store, I never feel comfortable because of how I look and how I think I’m being perceived,” Cibis says. “I’m wearing jeans, and they are behind the counter with a business suit. Not fun.

“My idea was jewelry can be fun. You’re adorning yourself. Why does it have to be so stuffy?”

The vibe doesn’t stop with the magical forest. An 8-foot wooden door from a Connecticut church opens into the main retail space, designed to look like a combination of an old apothecary, a library and a French art salon.

Spending time at ilah Cibis’ jewelry store is a journey of discovery that includes the opportunity to create custom jewelry.

The gallery wall displays art in gold frames, all for sale, and custom wallpaper that depicts local landmarks and inventions. Jewelry is displayed in interactive boxes on the wall and on tables that feature antique books, bell jars, and specimen jars filled with colored liquid.

“There isn’t a single aspect of the space that wasn’t custom designed, from the brass logo peephole to the patterned floor to the door handles, which were chosen for the heavy ‘kerchunk’ sound they make when the main door is opened,” Cibis says. “I wanted customers to experience the space, both physically and visually.”

The true showstopper is the CAD-designed focus wall that separates the showroom from the workshop. The wall features hundreds of vintage apothecary drawer pulls and faux books surrounding a dozen showcases. While most of the drawers are fake, a half dozen are fitted with RFID locks and provide access to supplies and a pass-through from the shop. Somewhere left of center in the wall is a secret passage, a hidden door that the staff can use to pop back and forth between the shop and the sales floor.

Cibis used CAD software to give contractors a general idea of what the store would look like and to get the specs to the millwork company.

Large acrylic pedestals that hold traditional showcases have been turned into whimsical terrariums planted with Lego flowers, hand-painted mushrooms, and miniature people. One terrarium case built into the floor is fitted with UV lights to highlight jewelry designer Chris Ploof’s glow-in-the-dark accented dog tags and bracelets.

Another extreme idea was to remove existing windows and paint signage directly on the building. Interior faux windows can be programmed to mimic light at any time of day. Exterior windows would have given away the surprise awaiting within. “I wanted the transition from a street in Worcester to our magical night forest vestibule to take people’s breath away,” Cibis says.

The outside remains industrial-looking but is covered with murals and other artwork. Cibis and team painted the words Jewelry, Art, Fun in giant letters. Other painted signage says, “iLAH Jewelry.”

“Getting people in the door has been a struggle,” Cibis says. “But if they walk by every day and think this building is so wild, they stop in and become regulars.

“The general response is, ‘I need to come back.’ They are not prepared for how much there is to look at and how much there is to buy. We have people now who come by every week and hang out and buy art.”

Cibis began learning about jewelry in a high school metals program and then earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in theatrical production from Boston University. After graduation, she enrolled in the North Bennett Street School in Boston and graduated from the jewelry-making and repair program. She now teaches CAD at the school.

In 2005, Cibis opened a custom design studio space in Sudbury, an affluent suburb of Boston. She worked incredibly long hours.

“I needed to do something where I could sell things to more people, something that was not just about one-on-one time with me,” she says.

Cibis also wanted space to explore her own jewelry designs, the kind of fun stuff she’d like to wear. And she was looking for a younger demographic, too, who were in the market for engagement rings.

In 2021, she relaunched the brand by introducing mini collections that ranged from whimsical and cheeky sterling silver pieces to gemstone engagement rings, all fitting her design aesthetic.

Cibis knew that because of her ideas for the unique interior, the buildout would be almost impossible if she didn’t own a building. She also wanted to be in Worcester’s Canal District, a vibrant shopping, dining and entertainment area that is home to the Minor League Baseball ballpark for the Boston Red Sox. The warehouse she found and bought is on the fringes of the district and, although it was in bad shape, it was the most affordable option. “Despite its industrial appearance, I saw potential in a dilapidated garage previously used for electric diode storage,” she says.

Over 62 tons of concrete were hauled away to level the floors, paving the way for ADA compliance. New frameworks, electrical grids, plumbing, HVAC systems and fire safety equipment were installed.

“I’m proud to have created a space where creativity flourishes and intimidation fades away,” Cibis says.

“If people are going to leave their houses and buy stuff that’s not online, we have to provide a reason for them to do that. It’s a different path. I think it’s not for everyone. But I love working here, and I have an incredible staff.”

Five Cool Things About ilah Cibis Jewelry

1. HOLIDAYS WITH A TWIST. “For Halloween, we had ‘Trick-or-Treat for Adults’ where we gave out candy and had tarot readings,” Cibis says. “We did a sip and shop event with Deep Eddy Vodka for Small Business Saturday. We’ve supported the local drag community by hosting a Drag Photo Extravaganza in lieu of photos with Santa.”

2. SCAVENGER HUNT. For the grand opening, Cibis and team planned a four-day scavenger hunt to appeal to the Gen Z and millennial demographic they were trying to reach. Cibis 3D-printed tokens, hid them in public areas and posted clues on social media. Whoever found the token
could redeem it for a specific piece of jewelry.

3. INCLUSIVITY. “Our clients love how inclusive our store is, down to the art on our walls, which shows a variety of body types, relationships and cultures,” Cibis says. “We do not use gender in our pieces or marketing because it reduces the body shaming that occurs when a customer is told that they are either much larger or much smaller than the average size the industry has decided on. We offer all basic styles in a wide range of sizes, from 3 to 16.”

4. ‘I’M THE PROBLEM.’ In honor of Taylor Swift and the hoopla around her attendance at the Super Bowl, Cibis gave away a pin and a keychain with the inscription, “It’s me, hi. I’m the problem, it’s me.” To win, people had to explain how they were the problem. Their responses were posted anonymously. “We got some wild entries!” Cibis says.

5. CREATIVE LOSS PREVENTION. Because the store is in a less developed area, security has been a concern. Removing the windows not only created a vibe but also deters break-ins. Jewelry that isn’t behind glass is attached to pulley systems. They’ve mounted the pulleys in art, books, and even a gold cauldron to create a fun, interactive experience. All back stock is in the safe in the back of the store. To send pieces back and forth, hidden drawers in the feature wall allow back-of-house staff to pop the size ring needed into the back of the drawer, and the sales team can open the door on the other side with an RFID card. Customers see magic-hidden doors and drawers, but the system is primarily for inventory control.

More Cool Things

INTERACTIVE BAND DISPLAY. Cibis used an old Singer sewing table and a Stuller wedding-band set to create an interactive display. Customers open the top of the table and spin a hexagonal barrel mounted in the space where the sewing machine would normally be. Each side of the barrel features different bands. Cibis’ “Rings of Power” collection and Chris Ploof’s Damascus steel bands are also on display. One side of the barrel features flat plates where they’ve demonstrated different finishes. “Like many of our displays, the rings are all on pulleys, and customers love being able to play with the whole thing, including the working foot pedal,” Cibis says.

FAMILY HISTORY. “Family is important to me, and while I do not come from a long line of jewelers, my family’s history is represented all over the store,” Cibis says. “The matching solid wood desks in our conference rooms, which are carved to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle, were commissioned by my parents for their first apartment together in the late ‘70s. When my Dad passed away, I had the desks shipped from Kansas City to Worcester, and I designed the conference rooms around the desks.

INSTAGRAM TEMPLATE. A marketing team that Cibis hired for the rebrand came up with a template for their Instagram page that makes the main feed one giant collage. “We have to design 15 posts in advance, so there is planning involved, but it is fun to build the larger images that then get broken up into the individual posts,” Cibis says.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS. Local artists were involved with the design and buildout of the store and the displays. The exterior features murals by two separate local artists. One of them is a Super Mario Brothers interactive mural by John Vo, staff artist, that allows passersby to stand on a giant green sewer pipe. People love taking photos “punching” a block for coins just like Mario. They’ve also hosted fundraising events for a local art collective, El Salon, and Staff artist, John Vo, does the photography for the website, but also paints backdrops for cases and some of the exterior murals.

PHOTO GALLERY (22 IMAGES)