State of Jewelry Design: New Retailers’ Biggest Hits and Mistakes

Operating a new jewelry store in the age of the pandemic has presented emerging retailers with unprecedented challenges and successes.

Here’s what they had to say.

Kansas City, Kansas

Hit: Considering the store’s entire existence has taken place during the pandemic, I feel like we’ve pivoted in ways we never thought possible. Private in-store appointments as well as video chats, on-demand text messaging, home fitting services and other concierge-like offerings have grown exponentially in the past year and have now become commonplace. standard, which we are more than happy to adapt and continue.

Bellevue, Washington

Hit: We’ve curated our selection of designers well, allowing each designer to stand out and not compete with the designers they sit next to. Not overcrowding our store and keeping our selection tight allows every designer to get the recognition and attention they deserve.

Atlanta, Georgia

Hit: We have constantly engaged the community with our trunk shows and events. We create an experience at our events, which are usually accompanied by a bar and a DJ.

Boston and Nantucket, MA

Hit: I’m really proud of the community we’ve built with our suppliers. There’s no competition, no cattery, just a wonderful group of designers who all love and support each other in the most beautiful way.

Mistake: I’ve done a lot and probably still am. I wouldn’t call it a mistake, but I was very lucky not to sign a lease two weeks before the pandemic hit – that would have been a major mistake. As an entrepreneur, I’ve learned that hiring people from a company culture perspective is more important than conceptual hiring.

Charlotte, North Carolina

Hit: I trusted my instincts and made it a point to take risks.

Palm Desert, California

Hit: Upholding the high standards I set for myself from the start to make shopping at Fine Jewelry Bar an experience the customer won’t easily forget.