Independent jewelry boutiques are critical resources for brands, offering unique access to a discerning clientele. They also often contextualize designers’ work through a sophisticated point of view that is not typically seen at the department store level. And yet, owners of these boutiques across the U.S. are facing many of the same challenges as larger retailers — staffing, stocking exclusive product and remaining physically in touch with an increasingly virtual clientele.
Here, eight boutique owners discuss their their current experiences:
Store name: August
Location: Los Angeles
Owner: Bill Hermsen
Year founded: 2013
Key jewelers carried: Ted Muehling, Gabriella Kiss, Judy Geib, Lola Brooks, Prounis.
WWD: What is the place of an independent jewelry store in today’s retail landscape?
Bill Hermsen: The place of an independent jewelry store is to offer a point of view. We have an opportunity to tell the story of the collections we represent by the items we select, or how we choose to merchandise the store, and it is also the opportunity to connect with our clientele in an intimate way.
WWD: How would you describe your buy and your store’s perspective on fine jewelry?
B.H.: I really have to love the collection in order to stand behind it and to be able to sell it. When bringing in collections, I tend to like designs that are organic in nature, and that have their own unique voice. It has to feel like a comprehensive story.
WWD: What is selling best now?
B.H.: The bestselling items have been fairly consistent since we opened. Our customers prefer yellow gold over silver or white gold and gemstones are important; blues and greens always sell best.
WWD: How are sales trends in general? Have you seen any effects from inflation and gold price increases? Are shoppers still buying jewelry at the same clip as during the pandemic?
B.H.: Sales are still quite strong. So far we have not seen any effects from the gold price increases; however, many our jewelers are beginning to raise their prices, so we shall see. We have noticed that our customers are not purchasing jewelry at the same pace as they had during the pandemic, but sales are still much higher than they were pre-pandemic.
WWD: What are the biggest challenges you are facing now as a retailer?
B.H.: When we first opened in 2013, it was fairly rare for jewelry stores to be online, so each store had its own territory. Now everybody is online, and with social media, everything is at the customer’s finger tips, including direct access to the jewelers.
WWD: What are you looking to buy for the coming year? Are there any trends or jewelers you plan to invest in?
B.H.: I know it’s cliché to say, but we really don’t follow trends. We bring in collections when we find something that we really love, and we don’t just bring in a collection because we know it sells well.
Store name: OK
Locations: Los Angeles and Kyoto, Japan
Owner: Larry Schaffer
Year founded: 1995
Key jewelers carried: Polly Wales, Pippa Small, Arman Sarkysian, Lizzie Mandler, Suzanne Kalan, Retrouvai, Monica Castiglioni.
WWD: What is the place of an independent jewelry store in today’s retail landscape?
Larry Schaffer: There absolutely remains a place for brick-and-mortar. People want more than a “product,” they want “an experience,” they want “a story,” they want “a connection to a maker, a community,” they want a “personal connection.” Brick-and-mortar done right provides the right sales team, the right environment, the right display, the right music, the right vibe — it’s something that can only happen in person.
WWD: How would you describe your buy and your store’s perspective on fine jewelry?
L.S.: Fine jewelry and everything else we present at OK starts with the creative force behind it. Whether they call themselves an “artist” a “maker,” a “designer,” etc., everything starts with the creative force behind the work. OK has always been about presenting a “way of being,” a “way of existing in the world” and everything we present is about connecting to that and how all our goods interconnect.
WWD: How has your buy evolved or changed in the last six to 12 months?
L.S.: Our buy progresses and evolves in the same way it always has — our client wants to own less, but better. They want to acquire things that have permanence and they that will enjoy well into the future. Regardless of price point, regardless of what is happening in the economy, we and our clients fully understand that value comes in longevity.
WWD: What is selling best now?
L.S.: Designers that have strong identities and clear vision: Polly Wales, Arman Sarkysian, Pippa Small, Retrouvai, Monica Castilioni, Suzanne Kalan, Lizzie Mandler, etc.
WWD: How are sales trends in general? Have you seen any effects from inflation and gold price increases? Are shoppers still buying jewelry at the same clip as during the pandemic?
L.S.: Business has remained brisk during the pandemic and after. Our commitment to value and a wide range of price points has meant that in spite of the ebb and flow of the economy, the price of commodities, etc., we always have something of value to our customer, we have strong relationships with our customers and we have continued to do well during and after COVID-19, the last financial crisis, etc.
That being said, we have seen a long-term trend of when commodity prices increase, the higher cost of materials as a ratio of the overall cost of the goods, has only led us, and our clients, to skew toward our better and more expensive designers as there is an even bigger increase in demand for goods with even greater long-term value and design integrity.
WWD: What are the biggest challenges you are facing now as a retailer?
L.S.: In all honesty, the high cost of living in a city with the clientele able to afford the products we offer is our biggest challenge. Brick-and-mortar retail lives or dies by how good the customer experience is in store, and there is no bigger factor in that than the sales team the customer interacts with. Not the product, not the display, not the store’s brand identity, but the human interaction between a member of our team and our clientele. We are committed to paying a living wage, we provide health care, a pension plan, paid time off, etc., but our largest challenge is to pay a living wage in an environment that is increasingly expensive.
WWD: What are you looking to buy for the coming year? Are there any trends or jewelers you plan to invest in?
L.S.: Our strategy going forward is greater focus on a smaller number of great brands. Carly Paquette, our buyer, is really committed to increasing focus on presenting cohesive capsule collections culled from each of our designers in order to very clearly and concisely let the goods and their presentation tell the story of the designer. Each of the separate stories taken together presents a clear identity of our brand as a whole and are components of our overall ecosystem, as that ecosystem is what makes our in-store experience so compelling.
Store name: Broken English
Locations: Santa Monica, California, and New York
Owner: Laura Freedman
Year founded: 2006
Key jewelers carried: Foundrae, Anita Ko, David Webb, Marina B, Vram, Marie Lichtenberg, Loquet, Silvia Furmanovich, Munnu.
WWD: What is the place of an independent jewelry store in today’s retail landscape?
Laura Freedman: Independent jewelry stores are one of the cornerstones to any community. It’s the place where people go to collect pieces that commemorate moments and milestones in their lives. If you are lucky you get to be a part of the major moments in peoples lives. It becomes generational. It’s a special position to be in to be a go-to place for multi generations.
WWD: How would you describe your buy and your store’s perspective on fine jewelry?
L.F.: For me it’s all about what moves me and I hope it has the same effect on my clients. I curate the store as if I am doing it for myself. What do I love, who do I feel is at the forefront of design, trends, and what I feel is missing in the market. I have so much fun doing it. Hunting for the antique and vintage. Finding new designers. The assortment is well rounded and I love that we have something for everyone.
WWD: How has your buy evolved or changed in the last six to 12 months?
L.F.: I have been leaning toward larger scale pieces. Chunky necklaces, larger stacking bangles, cocktail rings, modern and sculptural.
WWD: What is selling best now?
L.F.: We sell a lot of necklaces. That is our top category. I have been pleasantly surprised to see people be really into collars, ’70’s and ’80’s throw back. I’m a hoop girl so I tend to always have a big assortment on hand. I think they look good on everyone.
WWD: How are sales trends in general? Have you seen any effects from inflation and gold price increases? Are shoppers still buying jewelry at the same clip as during the pandemic?
L.F.: Sales have been strong. I believe that people stop to think a little more before their purchase. So far we are on track to beat last year. It’s still very strong.
WWD: What are the biggest challenges you are facing now as a retailer?
L.F.: I think the biggest challenge especially after the pandemic is finding staff. Because we don’t have the ability to create a hybrid work model it’s been hard convincing people to want to come back and work in the brick-and-mortar. The consciousness shifted and it’s been hard to find exactly where we fit in the new concept of the stay at home work model.
WWD: What are you looking to buy for the coming year? Are there any trends or jewelers you plan to invest in?
L.F.: For the most part I have been working with the same designers for years. So I plan on going deeper with them and hopefully doing some collaborations. I continue to be in awe of their talent, innovation and ability to stay current. I’m always on the look out for new talent to BE. So far this year we have brought on Daniella Villegas, Sauer, Melis Goral and Diane Kordas.
Store name: Twist
Locations: Seattle and Portland, Oregon
Owners: Paul Schneider and Lauren Eulau
Year founded: 1979
Key jewelers carried: Foundrae, Cathy Waterman, Brent’s Neale, Judy Geib.
WWD: What is the place of an independent jewelry store in today’s retail landscape?
Paul Schneider: The in-store retail experience remains consumers’ preferred way to shop but is hard to stay relevant without a strong online component
WWD: How would you describe your buy and your store’s perspective on fine jewelry?
P.S.: Our focus is on the work of small independent jewelry designers and makers. Our price range is wide, but our POV is very specific. We have a personal relationship with every single person whose work we sell.
WWD: How has your buy evolved or changed in the last six to 12 months?
P.S.: We trying to keep our buys a bit more focused. Cutting back somewhat on the quantities we order of each design.
WWD: What is selling best now?
P.S.: Layered gold chains and charms are still very strong. Multiple ear piercings and bracelet stacks as well. Our customers tend to want what they wear to be very personal, often mixing family heirlooms with new pieces. Beautiful colored gemstone rings have never sold as well as they are now, and white metal is showing up again.
WWD: How are sales trends in general? Have you seen any effects from inflation and gold price increases? Are shoppers still buying jewelry at the same clip as during the pandemic?
P.S.: I don’t know if we will ever see the spike in sales we saw over the last few years. Our numbers are pretty much where they were prior to the lockdown. The mood of shoppers is still positive, we aren’t hearing a lot of doom and gloom.
WWD: What are the biggest challenges you are facing now as a retailer?
P.S.: For quite awhile we were having trouble with staffing but we bumped compensation and benefits and guess what? More and better applicants and better retention. We’ve also added additional security elements to the sales floor for product and personnel. We still are dealing with the fact we are competing with our suppliers for retail sales. We try and work out a plan prior to any situation coming up, but it inevitably does.
WWD: What are you looking to buy for the coming year? Are there any trends or jewelers you plan to invest in?
P.S.: We are just starting to introduce some pieces using lab-grown diamonds. It’s a market reality and just getting started. We are completely transparent with customers and limiting it to a few bridal pieces at this time to see the response.
What Twist features is the creativity of the designer and the choices they make rather than the relative price of the materials they use, so it doesn’t really change what we do but lab-grown stones are here to stay and will be used more and more as time goes on.
Store name: Hamilton Jewelers
Locations: Palm Beach, Florida, and Princeton, New Jersey.
Owners: Hank and Andrew Siegel, chief executive officer and chief operating officer, respectively
Year founded: Fourth generation, family-owned business since 1912.
Key jewelry brands carried: Cartier, Bulgari, David Yurman,Temple St. Clair, Dinh Van, Mikimoto, Pomellato.
WWD: What is the place of an independent jewelry store in today’s retail landscape?
Ann Russell, executive vice president: Independent jewelers have owners and local management teams who are part of the communities where we operate our businesses. We work, live and connect with our clients every day, which provides us with a better opportunity to create meaningful relationships with them, as well as our employees and our brand partners.
WWD: How would you describe your buy and your store’s perspective on fine jewelry?
A.R.: Fine jewelry is wearable art, it’s an investment in a lifestyle that feels right for each client. For us, that means celebrating a milestone or anniversary, or choosing a gift to treat yourself with for no reason at all. It’s something that brings the wearer a joy and pride of ownership, and so we aim to fill our store with beautiful pieces that can mark any source of inspiration.
WWD: How has your buy evolved or changed in the last six to 12 months?
A.R.: Our buy hasn’t changed much, but we are always looking to bring in new designers with unique collections that are not only beautiful, but unlike any of the existing brands that we carry. We like to offer our clients something different and provide newness from each brand seasonally. It’s an opportunity to curate something special that is suited to each client’s style.
WWD: What is selling best now?
A.R.: Natural diamond rings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets are always a good idea. We see a lot of clients interested in diamond styles that best fit their everyday life…which doesn’t necessarily mean price point but rather a piece that feels authentic to how they spend their day.
WWD: How are sales trends in general? Have you seen any effects from inflation and gold price increases? Are shoppers still buying jewelry at the same clip as during the pandemic?
A.R.: Yes, thankfully we still see growth in our markets and jewelry selling well in all price categories and across many different design aesthetics.
WWD: What are the biggest challenges you are facing now as a retailer?
A.R.: We are still working to keep up with the demand in our stores. We continue to hire and retain top talent to provide a best-in-class experience in our stores, on our website, in our social media platforms and at every client touchpoint.
WWD: What are you looking to buy for the coming year? Are there any trends or jewelers you plan to invest in?
A.R.: We are investing in mixed shapes when it comes to creating our own collections, and for finished jewelry, we are looking for more modern styling and clean designs — beautifully made classic gold jewelry feels very wearable. It’s not so much about the mirror but how that jewelry feels when you put it on.
Store name: Elyse Walker
Locations: New York City and multiple locations in the Los Angeles area.
Owner: Elyse Walker
Year founded: 1999
Key brands carried: Melissa Kaye, Hoorsenbuhs, Jenna Blake, Jade Trau, Spinelli Kilcollin.
WWD: What is the place of an independent jewelry store in today’s retail landscape?
Alex Lippin, senior vice president of jewelry: We know that our clients have many options, which is why we work so hard to carefully curate a diverse selection, across a range of price points offering access to the most exclusive designers with our unparalleled personalized service. We pride ourselves on ensuring that each client finds the perfect piece to complement their style and life. We value our role to not only introduce our clients to new designers and brands, but also building their trust and showing them how to create a jewelry story that is unique and feels personalized.
WWD: How would you describe your buy and your store’s perspective on fine jewelry?
A.L.: I would describe the buy as forward but timeless. Jewelry represents a memory, a connection to someone special, and in many ways, it becomes a part of you, which is why it shouldn’t sit in a drawer, it should be worn and enjoyed. At Elyse Walker, it’s all based on a foundation of head-to-toe styling. We approach jewelry just as we do a shoe, handbag, and accessory — it can be the piece, no matter how big or small, that makes the entire look come together.
WWD: How has your buy evolved or changed in the last six to 12 months?
A.L.: The buy is always evolving. As we expand and open new stores it becomes increasingly important to understand the customer and their lifestyle. I learn the most when I spend time in our stores, amongst the product, listening to the customers, assisting the stylists and working with our visual team, to provide the most compelling jewelry offering.
WWD: What is selling best now?
A.L.: We sell yellow gold and diamonds best, followed by emeralds. Necklaces remains our strongest category and continue to style with a lot of layering. Our clients are loving solid gold chains, hoops and classic everyday diamond styles.
WWD: How are sales trends in general? Have you seen any effects from inflation and gold price increases? Are shoppers still buying jewelry at the same clip as during the pandemic?
A.L.: We have definitely seen continued demand for jewelry as one of our biggest targeted growth opportunities. We work very closely with our vendors to ensure that we are meeting the demand of our clients for specialty pieces, spanning a wide price range. We have seen jewelry sales increase year over year, and work very hard to provide our clients with the best quality jewelry pieces that will remain strong investments.
WWD: What are the biggest challenges you are facing now as a retailer?
A.L.: A challenge that we’re seeing but looking at as more of an opportunity is our clients’ increased thoughtfulness in purchasing. They are pausing to weigh quality of purchase over quantity as we see a shift back to valuing the in-store experience. Where clients used to use in store as a showcase and then shop online, we’re seeing the reverse, online driving sales in store. Since we pride ourselves on our personalized shopping experience, one challenge will be to continue to creating the high touch experience for the omni shopper, especially when it comes to jewelry.
WWD: What are you looking to buy for the coming year? Are there any trends or jewelers you plan to invest in?
A.L.: I always look forward to seeing the new collections and the evolution of a brand — in particular, the brands with a distinct point of view, who continue to build on a core aesthetic or signature style. We fell hard for Rainbow K, Uniform Object and Ondyn but also can’t wait to see the new and emerging brands and new collections. When it comes to jewelry, we are all looking for objects with meaning, something that evokes a feeling or emotion. The best part of my job is listening to the story.
Store name: Pilot and Powell
Location: New Orleans
Owners: Coeli Hilferty and Kathryn Bullock
Year founded: 2016
Key jewelers carried: Jenna Blake, Christina Alexiou, Marie Lichtenberg, Azlee, Scosha, Vada.
WWD: What is the place of an independent jewelry store in today’s retail landscape?
Kathryn Bullock Joyner: Being an independent luxury boutique, we are a high touch point business where deeply personal engagement is key. Our customers enjoy seeing and feeling the piece in person, trying on, the one-on-one attention and human connection. We offer them a sense of discovery. Our customers understand what it means to walk into our store and have someone anticipate their needs and wants; it’s connecting each client with the piece that is uniquely right for them.
Coeli Hilferty Boron: Luckily for us, independent retailers seem to be weathering the unstable marketplace extremely well. As an independent, we are able to take risks with our buys and experiment with inventory that we truly believe in rather than offering the formulaic pieces that big box retailers offer in hopes of capturing the mainstream customer. We know our customers and we know that they trust us and our eye.
WWD: How would you describe your buy and your store’s perspective on fine jewelry?
C.H.B.: Our clients are willing to try new designers, experiment with color and nontraditional design, and take risks with their jewelry. They trust our vision and come to us for our point of view. I believe that we also offer pieces that a woman is interested in purchasing for herself. We do not carry traditional diamond studs or classic ropes of pearls that women are often gifted by their spouses. The traditional jewelry wardrobe of our customer is still purchased through their family jeweler. They come to us for something emotional and something fashion-forward that they won’t find elsewhere.
K.B.J.: Our store’s ethos has never been about the “It” thing; we are attracted to designers with a slower, more thoughtful approach with a human touch. Coeli and I usually have a visceral reaction to the pieces we are purchasing and tend towards jewelry designed to carry emotion. In our opinion, jewelry should tell a story about who we are and be a vehicle to express our individuality. We love finding those meaningful pieces that highlight all of life’s moments: our joys, our struggles, our triumphs, our tragedies, our travels. We choose everyday pieces intended for our customers to live in and wear daily. The most empowering thing is ease, which we feel is the true definition of luxury. All of our current jewelry designers are women.
WWD: How has your buy evolved or changed in the last six to 12 months?
K.B.J.: We introduced fine jewelry in the fall of 2022 anticipating it would take time to educate our customers before they would take the leap to purchasing. However, fine jewelry has accounted for 20 percent of our overall sales in the past eight months.
C.H.B.: We are relatively new to the fine jewelry marketplace, we only started carrying fine a few months ago. When we first began offering fine jewelry, we bought smaller, more delicate pieces at what we thought would be a digestible price point. However, we have found that we are having the most success with the weightier, pricier pieces. We will continue to take a few more risks and invest in pieces that we would have been intimidated to bring in when we first offered fine jewelry.
WWD: What is selling best now?
K.B.J.: Personal talismans portraying symbols of love, luck, protection. We have found the most success with customers finding the perfect pieces to create their own story. Whether that is a Jenna Blake turquoise and diamond horseshoe charm, an Azlee coin, or a Marie Lichtenberg locket that opens to reveal a beating heart — anything the wearer can transfer their own energy and meaning to encapsulate their unique life experiences.
C.H.B.: We are having huge success with Marie Lichtenberg lockets. They are so vivid and the craftsmanship is next level. Christina Alexiou daisy and chain designs have been a huge hit with our customers as well.
WWD: How are sales trends in general? Have you seen any effects from inflation and gold price increases? Are shoppers still buying jewelry at the same clip as during the pandemic?
K.B.J.: Our original intention was to introduce fine jewelry in 2020. We began the year with a successful in-person event with jewelry designer Kim Dunham a month before the world shut down. After seeing the reaction from our customers to the incredible one-of-a-kind signet rings Kim created, we knew adding a tightly edited range of Fine Jewelry to our matrix was the next logical step for growth.
C.H.B.: We have noticed that women love jewelry with a story. They want to know about the designer, where the inspiration comes from and how a piece is made. We have not yet noticed a slow down due to inflation or gold price increase. 2023 is tracking to be our most successful year yet.
WWD: What are the biggest challenges you are facing now as a retailer?
K.B.J.: Editing! There are so many incredible designers and pieces that speak to us. We wish we had the physical space and budget to take it all.
C.H.B.: Our biggest challenge at the moment is case space. There are so many brands we love and would love to offer in the store, but finding the space to properly present them is a challenge. We are in the process of working on an update to our New Orleans store, which will include added display space for jewelry. We are also expanding and opening a second location in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, a suburb on Philadelphia’s storied Main Line. Our Ardmore outpost will offer a tight edit of our favorite fine jewelry lines along with ready-to-wear and other accessories.
WWD: What are you looking to buy for the coming year? Are there any trends or jewelers you plan to invest in?
C.H.B.: We have always said that our most exciting customers are women of a “certain age,” usually over 50, who are dressing for themselves, not for their friends or for their husbands. They are confident in who they are and what they like, willing to take fashion risks and they have the financial ability to indulge in these risks. We will be catering our fine jewelry buy more specifically to this age bracket. We have noticed that they like chunkier, larger scale pieces and they are less interested in the delicate jewelry that is appealing to our younger customer. These women tend to like a large, longer statement necklace to draw the eye away from the neck, or a hefty bracelet or cuff that can be layered with their more traditional pieces.
K.B.J.: Our friends at Muse introduced us to Beck this spring; we are excited to see how her collection develops. Also, ITA out of Puerto Rico has some incredible bespoke jewelry we intend to explore.
The Loupe
Store name: The Loupe
Location: Minneapolis
Owner: Kiki Pohlad
Year founded: 2018, went independent in 2021
Key jewelers carried: Silvia Furmanovich, Hoorsenbuhs, Irene Neuwirth, Fernando Jorge, Anita Ko, Nikos Koulis.
WWD: What is the place of an independent jewelry store in today’s retail landscape?
Kiki Pohlad: As an independent retailer we have full control over every aspect of our store, which creates significant advantages. On our buying side, we’re able to focus on quality and true craftsmanship, and we’re able to spend significant time with the designers that we carry. With a shorter supply chain, and a direct relationship with our vendors, we are able to create space for dialogue, and continue to deepen our understanding of — and refine — the products we carry.
At the same time, and really first and foremost, we’re able to create unique and custom experiences for our clientele, whether in-store, or one-on-one, in-person, or at our events and pop-ups. In turn, this leads to higher customer loyalty. As an independent retailer, we’re able to adapt to changes in the marketplace. We are able to stay relevant.
WWD: How would you describe your buy and your store’s perspective on fine jewelry?
K.P.: The Loupe’s collections are designed to resonate in every aspect of daily life — the places you go, and the life you live. No longer is jewelry worn only on special occasions, and no longer is jewelry only worn by women. As buyers, we love to take the edge and the energy of the coasts to the heart of the Midwest. We specialize in curating fine artisanal jewelry for women and the rapidly growing demand for men. At its heart, jewelry is an emotional and personal object and experience. We believe jewelry at its finest should tell a personal story, and our buy tells the story of The Loupe.
WWD: How has your buy evolved or changed in the last six to 12 months?
K.P.: Being that we are still a relatively new store and coming from the more traditional lens of JB Hudson, our buying has become more informed as we better understand our clients and the Minneapolis market. Geographically speaking, there is a seasonality factor with Minnesota experiencing four distinct seasons, which inherently effects what our clients gravitate towards. Overall, there is a sense of modesty in the Midwest, yet we have been pleasantly surprised by our men’s business and the rise of gender-free jewelry, our client’s readiness to buy higher price points, and jewelry that is edgier, modern, and even avant-garde.
WWD: What is selling best now?
K.P.: We are seeing sales across all categories, with an increased interest in gender-neutral collections from brands like Hoorsenbuhs, Milamore, and Nancy Newberg. In addition, we are seeing a lot of interest in personalized jewelry. One-of-a-kind pieces from Irene Neuwirth, engraved jewelry from Caroline Ellen, or everyday layering pieces from Anita Ko — jewelry to express the authentic and artful you.
WWD: How are sales trends in general? Have you seen any effects from inflation and gold price increases? Are shoppers still buying jewelry at the same clip as during the pandemic?
K.P.: Sales have consistently increased year over year since The Loupe became an independent and privately owned company. In 2021, we saw a 100 percent increase in retail sales over the prior year. 2022 sales increased by 18 percent, and the first quarter of 2023 shows we are on track to continue 18 percent growth within our store. Understanding these sales trends requires examining a multiplicity of variables. Certainly, the pandemic effected buying trends everywhere; however, this was also the time that we were splitting away from JB Hudson (now Gunderson’s), as well as a time we phased out carrying watches. Currently, we feel confident with continuing and possible even exceeding 18 percent growth, which suggests a resiliency toward inflation and gold price increases.
WWD: What are the biggest challenges you are facing now as a retailer?
K.P.: Our biggest challenge is our space constraint being that The Loupe’s retail footprint is only 350 square feet. However, our annual sales per square foot are $5,000. When we look at leaders such as Apple and Tiffany, the numbers are certainly favorable, but as merchants of a small, single store, the capacity in which we can bring on exciting and emerging new designers is limited.
WWD: What are you looking to buy for the coming year? Are there any trends or jewelers you plan to invest in?
K.P.: We enter into every market season open-minded and excited for fresh takes that we can present in Minneapolis. With a percentage increase of 200 to 500 percent in many of our collections, we feel confident with our current matrix of designers and want to continue building out these collections. Simultaneously, we are always reacting, not only to our clients, but also to the innovations and inspirations our designers bring to the industry.