Instore Magazine • May 2025 • Benchmarks

BARS AND OTHER HOSPITALITY areas have become an integral part of jewelry store interiors whenever space makes that feature feasible. Whether the emphasis is on coffee or alcohol, the purpose is to encourage customers to kick back, feel at home, and celebrate important jewelry-buying occasions. Some stores are also going for a clubby feel to build a sense of community. Here are examples of stores, all built or renovated in the past few years, which successfully integrated a bar into their interior design and brand identity.

Chris Phillips, owner of the Diamond Bar in Town and Country, MO, has made the entire 900-square-foot store into a bar, an integral part of the brand’s identity. The store is meant to feel like a contemporary boutique with the cozy allure of a favorite winery. They’ve spared no detail in infusing a modern aesthetic into every nook and cranny, down to the custom footrails integrated into the cases, evoking the unmistakable feeling of being at a bar.

At Sissy’s Log Cabin in Memphis, TN, a one-on-one customer experience is a priority. With private sales rooms, a distinguished Oak Room for lounging, and a discreet bar, owners Sissy Jones, Bill Jones and Sharri Jones have ensured that jewelry purchases are more than a transaction; they’re a personal celebration. The 9,000-square-foot store now serves as a model for all the company’s future storefronts. Branded, boutique-style spaces offer many seated shopping opportunities throughout the store while the light and airy bar with pendant lighting and wood accents invites clients to stay a while longer, perhaps to celebrate a happy occasion.

Baxter’s Fine Jewelry in Warwick, RI, owned by Paul Messerlian, incorporates a customer lounge designed to provide a comfortable space for clients. The lounge is a waiting area and an extension of the overall experience, where customers can relax and enjoy a one-on-one consultation with knowledgeable staff or sip on a freshly brewed espresso or cappuccino from their in-house Fifth C coffee shop.

A hospitality bar in a San Antonio location broke new ground for Lee Michaels Fine Jewelers. To create a feeling of exclusivity, co-president Ryan Berg and team positioned it around a corner near the elevator so it’s not immediately visible. The bar invites clients to linger and socialize, fostering a sense of community. To encourage that feeling of community, co-owner Ryan Berg partnered with local whisky company Maverick to host “Maverick Mondays,” a tasting event that invites customers to explore new flavors and mingle with fellow aficionados.

Complementing the showroom at Copper Canary in Meridian, ID, is a coffee bar open to all visitors, which adds to an overall warm and inviting atmosphere. Owner Allie DeSeelhorst says the store is designed with a harmonious blend of Art Deco and modern sophistication. Homey touches like the coffee bar add cozy enclaves to the sprawling 7,300 square-foot space.

Tapper’s Jewelry’s location in Novi, MI, has multiple private shopping lounges, a bar and a snack area that includes TVs to watch sporting events or to stream branded content. Mark’s Bar focuses on sharing the family’s Michigan heritage by offering Michigan craft beers on tap and Michigan-made snacks. The 10,000-square-foot store is owned by Mark Tapper, Leora Tapper and Marla Tapper Young.

At Don Basch Jewelers in Macedonia, OH, the fully stocked beverage bar has high-top seating for six and a sports theme, with family sports memorabilia on display and a TV often tuned to live sports. Owner Don Basch, who opened the new location in 2023, has found the bar to be the perfect spot for staff meetings and to catch up with customers, many of whom are also old friends. The bar area, awash in natural light, has a shimmering moonstone tile backsplash and a fireplace to warm up those winter days in Ohio.