Jewelers who misinterpret the state of the jewelry market risk employing the wrong retail strategy, cautions columnist Sherry Smith.
Shinola to open as many as 6 US stores next year
Watch company Shinola is mapping out locations for new standalone stores in the United States in 2015, its CEO Steven Bock told National Jeweler.

Detroit--Watch and leather goods company Shinola is mapping out locations for new standalone stores in 2015, a strategy which CEO Steven Bock said allows the brand to tell its story and display its products in a consistent way.
The company could open up to six new locations in 2015, a goal that likely will carry through for a few years.
Bock told National Jeweler that the company wants to open five to six stores every year for the next several years, but also notes that for the company, they’re focused less on the quantity and more on finding the right markets and, within those, the right real estate.
“The stores give us the ability to really merchandise and present the brand and all of the component parts of the brand--so all of the different product categories--in a wonderfully consistent way,” Bock said. “And it’s those stores, tied into our website, that are driving the business by combining both web business and (retail stores), allowing our customer to see on our website how we merchandise and what we represent in terms of quality and value and design, and then to go into the store to see and feel the same thing.”
Shinola’s retail presence started with its original store in Detroit and then New York’s TriBeCa neighborhood.
Since then, the company has added locations in Minneapolis, Washington, D.C. and, most recently, in Los Angeles. It also added an international presence when it opened a standalone in London this fall.
Bock said Shinola is opening a store in Chicago within the next 30 days or so and a location in Ann Arbor, Mich. within the first three or four months of 2015.
He declined to give specifics past that, noting that they are still in negotiations for some openings.
When asked about how it will affect the wholesale business, Bock said that Shinola isn’t taking any focus away from that part of the company.
“(Our wholesalers) are doing a fantastic business for us so that within each major retailer we’re expanding, but we’re not looking to expand beyond those major retailers. When it comes to specialty stores, we’re very selective. We’ll expand those, but very gradually and in a very careful way.”
Along the same lines, the company just opened a watch dial manufacturing facility in its Detroit store, which features the dial factory behind a glass wall
“The idea always is to bring in and show the public increasingly more of what we’re doing from a manufacturing standpoint, so they can understand the details, the quality of the work, and can see what’s going on,” Bock said.
By the middle of next year, that store will expand from approximately 4,500 square feet to 11,000 square feet, he said--an expansion which seemingly mirrors the company’s overall growth plans.
“We’re growing quite quickly, but we’re always driven by the key factors that make a Shinola product, a Shinola product. And that is: the design, the value of the components, the quality of the work, the presentation and the consistency of everything we do. So 2014 has been a fantastic year for us, and we look forward to 2015 being very similar.”
The Latest

In her newly expanded role, she will continue to oversee the jewelry category, as well as watches, home, and accessories.

Organizers have also introduced the new JCK Talks Signature Series, as well as an offering of watch-focused workshops and lectures.

You deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.

The Alan Hodgkinson Medal recognizes gemologists who are consistently generous with their time and expertise.


The “What’s Your Signature?” campaign invites women to think about how they see themselves.

The big diamond’s sale added to the company’s revenue though the market remains “challenging” overall, particularly for smaller goods.

Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.

Rob Bates of The Jewelry Wire will also moderate a panel on the state of the jewelry industry during the virtual event.

The Jewelry Symposium will honor two industry veterans with lifetime achievement awards at its upcoming May event.

With their durability, brilliance, and beauty, diamonds are the perfect stone for everyday birthstone jewelry.

The retailer failed to file its annual report on time and said it may issue a going concern warning.

Smith recounts a recent trip to the post office that included an uncomfortable, embarrassing, and public exchange between two employees.

John Cowley, who has more than 30 years of experience, is succeeding Tearle as the lab’s chief financial officer.

Founder Erica Silverglide has designed 35 colorful pieces set with fluorescing gemstones for the brand's first finished jewelry offering.

“Ukrainian Jewelry | Contemporary Jewelry and Art Jewelry from Ukraine” features 33 contemporary Ukrainian designers and studios.

“The Golden Now” campaign celebrates the here and now with the brand’s signature styles and a selection of its new pieces.

Signet confirmed that Caffie, president of Zales and Banter, and Bentzen, who headed Blue Nile, have left the company.

The antique jewelry dealer talks about the importance of including Black Americans in jewelry history and preserving their stories.

Both its mines faced challenges last year, from operational issues to disruptions in the market.

Iconic pieces, like the Mike Todd Diamond Tiara, appear in the superstar’s new music video for her song inspired by the actress.

The luxury retailer, which went Chapter 11 in January, announced Thursday that it has secured $500 million in exit financing.

The NouvelleBox ballroom will feature independent jewelry designers, including Lene Vibe, Wyld Box Jewelry, and Kiaia Limited.

The one-of-a-kind locket, our Piece of the Week, opens to reveal three hidden images to keep close to your heart.

The new facility was also designed to better serve its growing customer base in Canada.

The campaign is a tribute to the year 1893, when Kokichi Mikimoto created the world’s first cultured pearl.

It is the only GIA school to offer the GIA Graduate Gemologist program in Chinese.




























