Studs, a jewelry-retailer-meets-piercing-studio, opened its first location in New York City this month.
New York—There’s a new ear-piercing place in town that is positioning itself as an upgrade to the traditional mall piercing experience.
Studs opened its first brick-and-mortar store this month in New York’s Nolita neighborhood, steps away from Broken English Jewelry and start-up Mejuri.
The space is brightly lit with yellow jewelry displays throughout, neon signs along the walls and a white couch topped with pillows in sparkly silver and fluffy white.
There is a piercing area staffed by professionals trained on how to safely pierce using autoclave-sterilized, single-use needles, a spokesperson told National Jeweler Friday.
The Studs website debuted simultaneously, selling single earrings, collections, after-care products and “curated earscapes,” which are stylized collections of mix-and-match earrings. The earscapes have kitschy titles like Pearly Bird Special, a collection of pearl earrings, and Star Studded, a grouping of star earrings.
The earrings range in price from $14 for a small sterling silver stud to $90 for a pearl spike ear harness, a 14-karat yellow gold vermeil chain earring topped with a Swarovski crystal pearl.
As for the piercing, one will cost $35 or two for $50, while the piercing jewelry ranges in price from $30 to $180.
Founders Anna Harman and Lisa Bubbers created Studs in response to what they described as the “antiquated” ear piercing experience, giving customers an option that is an alternative to a piercing gun at a mall or needles at tattoo parlors, which can have a more limited selection of piercing jewelry.
Studs founders Anna Harman and Lisa Bubbers raised $3 million to grow the company.The company was created with the best of both worlds in mind, according to the founders, combing a safe and sanitary experience with a wide range of piercing jewelry to promote self-expression.
“By having a singular focus on the ear piercing experience from start to finish, we’re confident that Studs can close the gap and deliver a service not only centered around ear piercing, but optimized for every possible need related to either piercing or jewelry in a way that no other brand is doing today,” said Harman, co-founder and CEO, in a press statement about the launch.
The company raised $3 million in funding, led by First Round Capital with participation from Lerer Hippeau and other investors, which will be used to build its retail locations, upgrade its online shop and hire employees.
Studs said it plans to expand its physical retail presence with additional locations in 2020.
