IF YOU BELIEVE jewelry retailers should be celebrated, then your favorite issue of the year, like mine, is probably our America’s Coolest Stores issue.
Whether you’ve won or you haven’t, if you’re reading this, you own a cool store. I know that beyond a shadow of a doubt. Because being “cool,” in my mind, comes down to one thing: a willingness to learn and adapt. And if you’re an INSTORE reader, then by definition, you love to learn.
So, I hope you don’t read this issue and think we’re saying these stores are better than yours. Far from it. But it gives us an opportunity to celebrate jewelry retailers and hold up some great examples of stores doing things the right way.
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If you feel that you are doing things the right way and you’ve never entered our America’s Coolest Stores contest, you should try next year! You can complete the entire entry process online at instoremag.com/acs.
One of the best ways we find out about retailers doing cool things is by reading through all of the Cool Stores entries. Even if you don’t win, there’s a good chance we’ll see something cool that you’re doing and want to cover it in the magazine. (The other great way to get on our radar is, of course, to join our monthly survey group, the Brain Squad, which you can do at instoremag.com/brainsquad.)
If you love to learn, like I do, check out the winning stores — I believe you’ll see something that inspires you. And that’s worth celebrating.

Trace Shelton
Editor-in-Chief, INSTORE
trace@smartworkmedia.com
Five Smart Tips You’ll Find in This Issue
- Rethink your store’s showcase allocation to reflect buyer behavior during the holidays. (Manager’s To-Do, p. 26)
- Encourage clients to bring in their dogs for a “pup date” with your shop dog for Valentine’s Day. (Copper Canary, p. 32)
- When clients’ jewelry is cleaned and tightened, return it to them on a silver platter. (Dianna Rae Jewelry, p. 40)
- Hold a “12 Days of Christmas Scavenger Hunt” by hiding pieces across your community and posting clues on social media. (Hingham Jewelers, p. 54)
- Set up a tiered system of rewards for your sales staff, with the highest levels earning a first-class destination trip. (Lee Michaels, p. 62)