News

Jeweler draws in shoppers — with a fully stocked bar

August 25, 2009

Jeff Weiss and his partners have launched an unusual jewelry store in Albany, N.Y., where the emphasis is on more than just buying gems. The 7,000-square-foot Glennpeter Jewelers Diamond Centre features not only a fully stocked line of jewelry but also a similarly stocked wine and beer bar, nestled next to a spacious 10-foot fireplace.

"For me, it's got to be fun, it's got to be an experience," Weiss says. "Any jewelry store sells jewelry, so [we asked] what can we do to define ourselves to make it an experience that is not given in the area?"

In doing so, Weiss and his team zoomed in on one of the main problems retail experts have with jewelry stores: Shoppers find them boring and intimidating.

To avoid becoming popular for the wrong reasons, the Diamond Centre took steps to avoid being confused for the corner pub: Two jewelry display windows are built into the bar top and there's a two-drink maximum per person.

Factor in the known ability of alcohol to spur impulse spending, and you have a concept worth watching.