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Retail News: Borsheims’ Strange Giving Weekend; Levinson Jewelers’ Paper Jewelry Is A Hit; More December 10, 2014 (0 comments)
Borsheims’ Weekend of Giving Turns Very Strange
Omaha, NE—Borsheims’ ninth annual Weekend of Giving kicked off a bit early, and in a surprising way that later took on some unexpected twists and turns for the jeweler. After hearing about a local woman’s wedding ring being stolen during a restaurant robbery, Borsheims offered to give her a new ring, free of charge. The woman, Katie Spore, invited a local reporter to cover the story as she came in to pick out her new ring. Watch the story here.
Borsheims president and CEO Karen Goracke said the store is happy to help the woman, especially during this season of giving. “We always hold our Weekend of Giving the first weekend of December,” Goracke said. “When we heard about the robbery on Giving Tuesday, as we were preparing for our big Giving weekend, it just made sense to reach out to her and see how we could help.”
But then everything went off the rails. As it turned out, Spore never was robbed—but Borsheims got swindled. Apparently the Omaha police didn’t believe Spore’s story and subsequently arrested her for theft by deception. The police returned the ring to Borsheims, which then decided to give it away through a Facebook contest. The contest drew more than 250 entries and thousands of votes, says Borsheims’ spokesperson Tricia Meuret. The winner, Melissa Maynard, is trying to start a small business with her boyfriend, and she hopes he will use the ring to propose.
Borsheims Weekend of Giving, however, was tremendously successful, says Meuret. It is an annual event that benefits a local, child-based charity. This year, Girls, Inc. is the recipient of the weekend. During the weekend of December 4 – 7, shoppers at Borsheims were able to contribute to Girls, Inc. in the following ways:
- Borsheims boxes on its Giving Tree were available for purchase for $10. Each box contains a prize ranging from jewelry and designer gifts to gift cards and more. All proceeds are donated to Girls Inc.
- 20 designers held trunk shows at Borsheims during the weekend. A percentage of Borsheims’ sales from the weekend were be donated to Girls Inc.
- Borsheims is selling a sterling silver “Believe” pendant for $25. The pendant is shown top of page. $5 of each purchase will be donated to Girls Inc.
Total figures for the fundraising won’t be available till after the holiday season, as the pendants remain on sale until then. Hundreds have been sold so far, but Meuret says the store still has more for sale. Hundreds of boxes on the Giving Tree were sold over the weekend, though, she added.
Borsheims CEO Karen Goracke and Girls Inc. Omaha's Executive Director, Roberta Wilhelm, standing next to the Giving Tree.
Dorfman Jewelers Reopens After Grand Renovation
Boston, MA—Dorfman Jewelers recently unveiled the results of a six-month, million-dollar renovation of its storied 24 Newbury Street locale, a Boston institution since 1967. The new store bears little resemblance to the old, save for three ornate crystal chandeliers that made the cut for the new space.
Douglas Dorfman, copresident with his brother Jonathan, told Women’s Wear Daily they wanted the new space to be “disruptive, yet elegant and modern — completely modern.”
The firm expects double-digit increases from both its new look and its new merchandising strategy. 20 new designers have been added, most notably Alexandra Mor, which takes over a 250-square foot salon in the store that formerly housed Van Cleef & Arpels. The old look featured a solid marble wall with gold crest and a recessed door, intimidating both physically and metaphorically.
“It worked both for us and against us,” admitted Dorfman to WWD. The new look, however, features an all-glass front, with a lavender, oyster, and silver décor that is appealing to women without being off-putting to men.
The merchandise, too, is more approachable and less off-putting. There’s more color, more whimsy, and more affordable price points such as a Verdi chalcedony, pearl, and diamond ring for $4,500. In addition to Mor, some key brands include Gumuchian, Bayco, Mimi So, Gemveto, Vendorafa, Antonini, Marina B., and more. Patek Philippe is the store’s signature watch offering.
The jeweler’s website also got a revamp, with a dramatic video opening leading into the site.
Levinson Jewelers Holds Recycled Catalog Event
Miami, FL—Levinson Jewelers participated in the Young At Art Museum (YAA) 9th-Annual Recycled Fashion Show on Friday, November 14. The event was held at the museum in Davie, FL. Following this year’s theme, “Decades Restyled!” Levinson Jewelers had a jewelry-making station where guests were able to craft their own unique jewelry from old catalogs. It was a fun, creative way to emphasize how recycling as a sustainable practice has had an effect on daily life. Proceeds from Decades Restyled! were used to support Young At Art’s teen leadership and other pioneering programs for underserved and at-risk youth.
Levinson Jewelers' Recycled Jewelry station, above, and some supplies ready for re-fashioning, below.
Levinson’s recycled jewelry making station also made its way down to Art Basel Miami Beach as part of YAA’s presence there. The stations were open throughout the week and visitors were encouraged to wear the jewelry during the "Time-After-Time-Capsule" Parade on Saturday, Dec 6.
An Art Basel patron wearing some recycled jewelry she created from Levinson's old catalogs.
Jennifer Miller Jewelry Featured on NBC
New York, NY—Jennifer Miller, owner of her eponymous jewelry boutique in New York City, was featured on the Today Show on Black Friday, during the “Hoda & Kathie Lee” segment focusing on both Small Business Saturday and how to start a company online. Miller discussed her history of selling jewelry in various beauty salons before opening a storefront, and now calls her website, jennifermillerjewelry.com, just another store.
Watch the segment on Jennifer Miller’s Facebook page.