INSTORE Jewelry Magazine [instoremag.com]
M. ROBINSON JEWELERS in Bee Cave, TX, could easily double as a European chateau if called upon to take on that role in a fairy tale, with its large slate roof, a tower and two chimneys. Owned by Sherazad “Sunny” Lokhandwala, M. Robinson is elegant inside and out and an ideal setting for storytelling as sales strategy. Designer Leslie McGwire transformed the building, which formerly held a dermatology office. Exterior changes included paint color, new windows and a modified roof
With 70,000 vehicles passing their store every day, the Yeko family, owners of THE DIAMOND CENTER OF JANESVILLE, WI, wanted to make sure their building REALLY stood out, so they built a 36-foot-tall signature logo wall to serve as a billboard. They finished the wall using a unique tapered aluminum panel, which is sleek and modern as well as a sustainable choice. The store has more than 2,000 square feet of glass curtain walls, and more than half of that glass is tilted out to span a height of 24 feet, floor to ceiling. Letting in natural light while being energy efficient was a priority for the Yekos, which they successfully conveyed to interior designer Leslie McGwire. The store was completed in 2015.
Owners Steve and Diane Williams created a 12,000 square foot destination store on a highly visible corner across the street from a strip mall their family business, WILLIAM JEWELERS of Englewood, CO, had occupied for 50 years. Designed by Leslie McGwire & Associates, the functional showplace is designed to evoke a wide open mountain retreat with the ceiling reaching a height of 30 feet in some places. The exterior establishes the lodge ambience with materials including stone, wood and stucco. The store has a 125-square foot digital screen on an exterior tower that displays rotating marketing messages. They also post jewelry jokes and questions for drivers to answer.
Shape Shifters
LUCIDO FINE JEWELRY in Sterling Heights, MI, owned by the Lucido family, is built with contrasting geometric shapes, which creates an upscale look, says interior designer Leslie McGwire. The round window, a unique feature, doubles as an ideal frame for advertising.