(PRESS RELEASE) ROSEMONT, IL — INSTORE, the favorite publication of American jewelry retailers, closed out its 2nd annual INSTORE Show this past Monday evening in Rosemont, IL. The event took place Aug. 11 – 12 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center and co-located for a second year with the Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference (Aug. 9 – 10). Also co-locating with The INSTORE Show for the first time was the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers (Aug. 10-12).
INSTORE’s pre-show Cram Day Conference returned on Aug. 10, complete with seminars on lab-grown diamonds hosted by the GIA Alumni Collective. Also back by popular demand – the Bench Pressure Challenge, thanks to sponsors MJSA, Master Casting & Cad, Rio Grande and materials provided by Columbia Gem House.
More show excitement took place on Sunday night at the Play It Cool Party. The soiree celebrated the 2024 America’s Coolest Stores contest winners, with many enjoying the presentation and live music. First-place stores are Copper Canary in Meridian, ID, and Dianna Rae Jewelry in Lafayette, LA.
On Aug. 12, Shane Decker kicked off the day’s education program as the keynote presenter, educating attendees about building momentum as a sales team. The education continued that day with highlights including insights about “How to Attract a Host of Holiday Buyers,” presented by Gus Garcia of LOUDR, and a panel of independent jewelry retailers, who dove into the topic of “How to Craft a More Compelling Shopping Experience,” moderated by Anna Samsonova of Samsonova Consulting, to name a few.
“We’re immensely grateful to all the exhibiting companies that support The INSTORE Show,” says Matthijs Braakman, chief executive officer of SmartWork Media, which produces The INSTORE Show and INSTORE Magazine. “Their involvement is crucial in empowering INSTORE to produce an exceptional networking, conference, and buying opportunity for independent retailers. These companies provide the backbone of our event, allowing us to offer a platform where industry professionals can connect, share insights, and make important business decisions. We hope you will all join us again in September of 2025, as your continued participation is key to the success and growth of this significant industry event.”
Winners of the Bench Pressure Challenge emerged after two days of competition. There were two separate challenges. The first included a “mystery box” of materials — including one unusual item — sent to either a single person or a two-person team (CAD designer and jeweler) who then designed a piece using the materials and brought it to the show. The designers and jewelers explained to the audience how and why they used their materials and techniques. The second, the Timed Challenge, tasked different individuals to resize, set and finish a piece using materials given out at the show and completed within three hours.
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Susan Eisen of Susan Eisen Jewelry in El Paso, TX, won the Mystery Box Challenge. Returning champion Jimmy Butts of Sissy’s Log Cabin in Pine Bluff, AR, won the Timed Challenge. Winners were awarded trophies—and copious amounts of praise.
Attendees and exhibitors say they were pleased with the show’s location and quality of buyers and sellers. Efi Bassali of Bassali Jewelry in Great Neck, N.Y., met with good existing Midwest and Chicago clients at the show and picked up some new ones, too. “We wrote orders for our 14K gold trend pieces with unique inlay, interesting chains and fluted styles,” he explains.
Meanwhile, it was a no-brainer for retailers Barb Rosin and Trudy Frank of Gitter Jewelers in Chicago to attend since they’re so close. They came last year and returned to revisit vendors like Kimberly Collins Colored Gems and Paragon Couture Group. “It’s great to see pieces in person,” notes Rosin. “This year we found even more vendors to work with, and a lot of things we want to buy,” adds Frank.
Dates for next year’s show are Sept. 14 – 15, 2025, with Cram Day on Sept. 13 all taking place again in Rosemont, IL at the Donald E. Stephen Convention Center.
For more information, visit here or direct any questions to INSTORE staff at info@theinstoreshow.com.
About The INSTORE Show
The INSTORE Show 2024 is the premier trade show for independent fine jewelry professionals and industry suppliers. Presented by INSTORE magazine, this event offers a unique platform for networking, education, and discovering the latest industry trends and products.
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