YOUR MOTHER WAS RIGHT — your true colors show when you think no one is watching. And in the rarefied world of high-end retail, a parallel can be found in a stylishly designed and immaculately clean restroom, which speaks volumes about your brand. A bathroom is not just a convenience; it’s an extension of the shopping experience you offer. When a client finds comfort and elegance in even the most private spaces, it underscores your store’s commitment to quality from top to bottom. And when that client looks in that mirror and sees a well-composed figure, they think, yes, I’m ready to make that grand purchase. Sometimes. But don’t take it from us. Here’s a peek behind the door at some of the fanciest powder rooms in independent jewelry retail.
“Better Than the Ritz-Carlton”
The overarching goal of Henne Jewelers’ recent renovation was to provide an elevated jewelry-buying experience while making every customer feel welcomed and appreciated. That applied also to the Pittsburgh store’s restroom, which reflects the same meticulous attention to design with its custom fixtures, warm lighting, elegant wall coverings. As one customer told the store: “These bathrooms are better than the Ritz-Carlton. They smell amazing!”
A Celebration of Heritage
The restroom at Greenwich St. Jewelers doesn’t let up on the playful sophistication that marks the Tribeca store. Floor-to-ceiling gingko leaf tiles — bold, tropical, threaded with gold — extend the store’s design philosophy into its most private corner, while nodding to the Puerto Rican heritage of sisters and owners Jennifer Gandia and Christina Gandia Gambale, whose parents emigrated from the island before founding the original store in 1976.
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A Jewel-Box-Like Surprise
Throughout London Jewelers’ flagship salon in Manhasset, NY, art, candy and flowers create colorful vignettes. Even the restroom is on brand. “We set it up like a jewel box,” says co-owner Candy Udell — and the room delivers on that promise, with an octagonal mirror shaped like a faceted diamond reflecting floor-to-ceiling gemstone-themed wallpaper in every color of the spectrum.
Between a Rock and a Beautiful Place
The overall design of Harris Jeweler in Troy, OH, was intended to make guests want to bring their friends back to see it — and it often does. That applies to the bathroom as well, with its floor-to-ceiling agate-patterned tiles. Gemology has been close to the store’s heart since founder Hal Harris became one of the first Certified Gemologists in the country, studying for his GIA courses between combat missions in World War II. Seventy-nine years later, the stones are still on the walls.
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