Registration Opens for Instore Show
In its second year, the trade show is returning to the Chicago area.

Presented by Instore magazine and in partnership with MJSA and the Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference 2024, the Instore Show is in its second year and will be returning next year to the site of its inaugural event, the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.
The show is slated for Aug. 11-12, 2024.
Attendees can register for a free badge at the show’s website.
The publication described the show as the gateway for retailers, managers, and buyers to connect with over 200 booths of vendors and service providers, discover the latest industry trends, and immerse themselves in an Instore-approved conference program.
The 2024 show boasts several interactive network opportunities including “Cram Day,” a full day of pre-show educational offerings; bench jeweler contest “Bench Pressure Challenge;” a welcome reception on Saturday, and the “Play It Cool Party,” an evening of networking and celebrating the winners of the magazine’s 2024 “America’s Coolest Stores” competition.
“What a great show, a great place to collaborate with retailers and the top vendors in the nation,” said William Jones IV, COO at Sissy’s Log Cabin, a fine jeweler with locations in Arkansas and Tennessee.
“The Instore Show is a great event to bring staff to experience what it’s like to run and inventory your store. With the talks, the vendors, and the Chicago experience, it is a must visit.”
SmartWork Media, which owns the Instore Show, originally put on the Smart Jewelry Show, which had its final run in 2016.
Matthijs Braakman, CEO of SmartWork Media, said retailers and exhibitors had been requesting the show’s return for “several years.”
Having seen success with the Instore Show in its first run last year, drawing in retailers from the Midwest and across the country, the company is bringing it back for buyers to stock up on inventory before the holidays.
“[Retailers and exhibitors] especially enjoy hearing the success stories of other area retailers and having the ability to place their orders easily and efficiently,” Braakman said.
“At bigger shows, retailers just can’t get the face time they want with the suppliers they’ve done business with for years. The Instore Show also offers a big punch of fun in a venue that’s easily accessible and close to Chicago for after-hours dining and entertainment.”
Karen Hollis of K. Hollis Jewelers in Batavia, Illinois, praised the show, saying she didn’t realize how much she missed it until it was back.
“I loved all the different break-out sessions and found that there was something for everyone in every session offered. I found a couple of new designers that I’m really excited about too,” Hollis said.
“It is always great to see fellow store owners and staff at these events. It is fun sharing ideas and thoughts about our amazing industry.”
For more information about the Instore Show 2024, visit the show’s website or direct questions to info@theinstoreshow.com.
To learn more about 2024 exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities, direct questions to exhibit@theinstoreshow.com.
The Latest

A matching pair of 18.38-carat, D-color diamonds from Botswana’s Jwaneng mine sold for $3.3 million, the top lot of the jewelry auction.

Sponsored by A Diamond Is Forever

The next generation of lapidarists are entrepreneurial, engaged online, and see the craft as a means for artistic expression.

With the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.

It was the second auction appearance for the fancy vivid blue-green diamond, which sold for $7.8 million at Christie’s Geneva 12 years ago.


Members of the U.S. Marshals Task Force took a 22-year-old man into custody. He was charged with tampering with evidence.

While the overall number of crimes was down, there were more incidences in which robbers pulled out guns, mace, or rammed cars into stores.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

Jack Sutton Fine Jewelry is closing its store inside the downtown shopping center after 40 years in business.

Reena Ahluwalia’s painting of the rare red diamond is the first contemporary painting to join the National Gem Collection.

The price of gold has risen, affecting the number of pieces designers make, the materials they use, and how they position themselves.

Peter Smith gives tips on leading meetings, developing marketing, and making trade show appointments in the age of short attention spans.

The 11-piece “Medallions” capsule collection features five motifs: a crying eye, a heart on fire, a spiral, a flower, and a swallow.

From Gen Z’s view of luxury to “doom spending,” these are the six consumer trends to note this year.

The owners of Staats Jewelers are heading into retirement.

Jeffrey Gennette, who retired in 2024 after 41 years with Macy’s, is the newest member of the jewelry retailer’s board of directors.

May babies are lucky to have emeralds, a gemstone admired for centuries, as their birthstone, writes Amanda Gizzi.

The new module allows retailers to plan, promote, and measure the success of events from a single dashboard.

NDC said in an open letter that Pandora’s statements about the carbon footprint of lab grown versus natural diamonds are inaccurate.

The diamantaire and industry leader succeeds Feriel Zerouki and said he will focus on being a “champion” for natural diamonds.

She wore our Piece of the Week, Glenn Spiro’s “Old Moghul Golconda” earrings, featuring fancy brown-yellow diamonds totaling 51.90 carats.

The jewelry retailer noted resilience among its higher-end customers while demand softened for its lower-priced offerings.

Led by the 6.59-carat sapphire, the sale garnered $9.7 million, a record total for a Heritage jewelry auction.

In his new role, sales specialist Billy Welshoff will focus on the eastern United States.

José Gaztelu has been promoted to the role, which has been vacant since last year.

It has also opened the application period for the Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship through June 30.

The owner of the Ekati mine, which opened in 1998, has filed for insolvency protection amid the significant decline in diamond prices.
























