WE’RE NOT QUITE ready to announce who won the 2019 America’s Coolest Stores contest. But to pique your interest before the big reveal, we’re sharing INSTORE editors’ top picks in four of the judging categories: Exterior, Interior, Marketing and Online Presence. Entries always contain a wealth of good ideas, and we want to start sharing those as soon as possible. Stay tuned for the announcement of winners, chosen by our panel of industry-expert judges, on instoremag.com in late July, and in our annual America’s Coolest Stores issue in August. As always, the competition was tough. Thank you for entering!
BIG COOL INTERIOR DESIGN
WHAT THE EDITORS SAY: When shoppers step into the new Park Place Jewelers in West Ocean City, they say they feel transported to a land of luxury. The 4,100-square-foot store has vaulted 30-foot-high ceilings, curved glass showcases and walls accented in shimmering Anatolia Baroque glass tiles. Even the restrooms attract attention with gold-tone hand dryers and fixtures. Owners Todd and Jill Ferrante welcome customers with a 50-inch flat screen TV, coffee bar, fresh baked chocolate chip cookies, and comfortable chairs for resting tired feet.
1. Mitchum Jewelers, Ozark, MO
2. Classic Creations, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
3. Day’s Jewelers, Nashua, NH
4. Provident Jewelry, Jupiter, FL
5. Park Place Jewelers, Ocean City, MD (Pictured)
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Big CoolEXTERIOR
WHAT THE EDITORS SAY: Owners Sanjay and Sapna Singhania have pulled architectural inspiration from the White House, Las Vegas casino hotels and the temple of Vedic planetarium, under construction in India, to create Tanmai Jewelers, a palatial, 3,500 square-foot showplace in Irving, TX. The grand exterior is incredibly detailed; features include an eye-catching water fountain and the company’s logo inset into the corners of the building.
1. Day’s Jewelers, Nashua, NH
2. John Atencio, Lone Tree, CO
3. Tanmai, Irving, TX (Pictured)
4. H1912, Princeton, NJ
5. Provident Jewelry, Jupiter, FL
Big CoolMARKETING
WHAT THE EDITORS SAY: In Bloomington, IL, John Carter, owner of Jack Lewis Jewelers, treats Facebook as if it were his own TV network, with regularly scheduled programming throughout the week that promotes elements of the business. “The other thing we do is highlight our staff in these features,” Carter says. “We are unique in the fact that we are not all about the owner. Our people are the key to what we do.” Video is an integral part of what drives business. Carter and his staff sing and lip-sync invented lyrics set to popular tunes with hilarious results. “If you’ve heard me sing, you know there’s no talent involved whatsoever,” Carter says. “When I started doing it, it was just me, but I’m blessed to have people who work for me who want to be part of the gag,” he says. “It’s nice to show we don’t take ourselves so seriously. It’s another way of bonding with our customer.”
1. Jack Lewis Jewelers, Bloomington, IL (Pictured)
2. Croghan’s Jewel Box, Charleston, SC
3. Day’s Jewelers, Nashua, NH
4. State St. Jewelers, Greensboro, NC
5. H1912, Princeton, NJ
Big CoolONLINE PRESENCE
WHAT THE EDITORS SAY: Sisters Mariana Ramsay Hay and Rhett Ramsay Outten, owners of Croghan’s Jewel Box in Charleston, SC, have reason to celebrate their attractive new website, croghansjewelbox.com, which boasts 9,000 to 15,000 visits per month. Visitors are drawn to the site’s layered storytelling, including a blog with a behind-the-scenes vibe and an e-commerce section overflowing with treasures. The century-old family business also uses Facebook and Instagram to develop their online personality and engage customers directly. They’ve experimented with geofencing. During the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, which attracts more than 40,000 visitors, they drew a virtual fence around four luxury hotels and served ads to their visitors on sites including the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Harper Bazaar and Vogue.com, which proved to be an inexpensive way to reach nearby visitors looking for something to do.
1. Croghan’s Jewel Box, Charleston, SC (Pictured)
2. Jack Lewis Jewelers, Bloomington, IN
3. Day’s Jewelers, Nashua, NH
4. Classic Creations, Toronto, Ontario
5. H1912, Princeton, NJ
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Small CoolINTERIOR DESIGN
WHAT THE EDITORS SAY: The lobby of the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort is home to a luxurious surprise: Chronus Gallery, owned by David Veitsman and Fred Sirota. Encased in glass, it looks like a giant greenhouse showcasing ever-changing conditions in the Sunshine State; rain creates a pattern on the glass, while sunset illuminates the space with a red glow. To maintain some control over the changing light, a sculptural light fixture provides consistency, and a film shields the glass ceiling panels. Gold leaf back-painted glass panels reinforce the luxurious look. Art Nouveau-style showcases and furniture feature chrome metal legs, a high gloss finish and smooth embossed leather that dress up the space.
1. Welling & Co. Jewelers, West Chester, OH
2. The Loupe by JB Hudson Jewelers, Minneapolis, MN
3. Chronus Gallery, Bal Harbour, FL (Pictured)
4. EAT Gallery, Maysville, KY
5. Balefire Goods, Arvada, CA
Small CoolMARKETING
WHAT THE EDITORS SAY: Rather than spending money on traditional marketing, owner Jamie Hollier of Balefire Goods focuses on building relationships. Fostering relationships with magazines, local news outlets, and other publications has led to editorial use of Balefire jewelry as fashion features and gift guides. Being seen in the content of local media means more to her customers than seeing an ad, Hollier says. Donations of jewelry, space and time to non-profits, private groups and organizations like the Chamber of Commerce have helped to build the brand, too. In the look book for Balefire’s commitment line, called Kindle, models are real couples that represent a diversity of ages, sizes, and sexual orientation.
1. Yaf Sparkle, New York, NY
2. Brax Jewelers, Newport Beach, CA
3. EAT Gallery, Maysville, KY
4. Wanna Buy a Watch, West Hollywood, CA
5. Balefire Goods, Arveda, CO (Pictured)
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Small CoolONLINE PRESENCE
WHAT THE EDITORS SAY: At EAT Gallery in Maysville, KY, owned by Simon and Laurie Watt, the focus is on colored gemstones, which means jewelry tends to be bright and ideal for great photography. This helps the gallery stand out on Instagram and Google. Manager Katherine Cotterill has launched a video blog series, “Welccome to the Gallery,” which is featured both on the website and on YouTube. In each episode, Cotterill models jewelry so viewers can see how it looks on a person. It’s a great way to showcase their jewelry in a casual, conversational way online. They’re also using social media contests with great success.
1. Yaf Sparkle, New York, NY
2. EAT Gallery, Maysville, KY (Pictured)
3. Wanna Buy a Watch, West Hollywood, CA
4. Balefire Goods, Arvada, CO
5. Malka Diamonds & Jewelry, Portland, OR
Small CoolEXTERIOR
WHAT THE EDITORS SAY: Yaf Sparkle, owned by Yaf Boye-Flaegel and Torsten Flaegel, sparkles and shines on an iconic street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. If Broome Street looks familiar, you may have seen it in the movies; it went back in time for “The Knick” set in 1901 and again for “The Irishman” by Martin Scorsese, set in 1972. Owners Yaf Boye-Flaegel and Torsten Flaegel spread glitter across the sidewalk outside, making it impossible for party folks to overlook the store on a lively Saturday night.
1. Welling & Co. Jewelers, West Chester, OH
2. JC Jewelers, Jackson, WY
3. Balefire Goods, Arveda, CO
4. Yaf Sparkle, New York, NY (Pictured)
5. Amor Fine Jewelry, Brooklyn, NY