Independents

Lee Michaels Has a New 10,000-Square-Foot Store on the Way

IndependentsAug 18, 2021

Lee Michaels Has a New 10,000-Square-Foot Store on the Way

The independent retailer will move its New Orleans store to a new location, slated to open in the fall of 2022.

20210818_Lee-Michaels-sketch.jpg
A sketch of the new 10,000-square-foot freestanding Lee Michaels store in Metairie, Louisiana, set to open in the fall of 2022
Metairie, La.—Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry is expanding in Louisiana. 

The retailer announced recently it has broken ground on a 10,000-square-foot store at the Lakeside Shopping Center in Metairie, a suburb of New Orleans. 

The new, freestanding location will be more than double the size of the current store, which is located inside the mall, allowing Lee Michaels to grow its market presence and add new merchandise lines. 

The new store will have two entrances. 

One will be for the fine jewelry section of the store which will include shop-in-shops of brands like David Yurman, Roberto Coin, and Mikimoto, as well as a bridal selection. 

The other entrance will be for the watch section of the store, including a Rolex corner as well as Tudor and TAG Heuer spaces. 

 Related stories will be right here … 

Lee Michaels said it expects to open its new location in the Lakeside Shopping Center, where it has been doing business for 25 years, in the fall of 2022.

Lee Michaels operates nine stores across four states, opening its most recent in Albuquerque, New Mexico, earlier this year. 

The company is a member of both Jewelers of America and the American Gem Society, and is currently in the second generation of ownership and management, led by Ryan Berg, Scott Berg, and Chad Berg. 

“We are constantly looking to innovate and grow. We have enjoyed our Lakeside location for the last 25 years, but it is time to enhance our customer experience and the environment in which they shop,” said Lee Michael Berg, founder and chairman of the board. 

“We are excited not only for our customers to see the new store, but also for our sales associates, who are our greatest asset. This is just as exciting for many of them who have been with us for 20-plus years.”

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