Avery in the News

Gaining a Foothold in the Rockies

By Glenn Law, National Jeweler Magazine
September 16, 2005

For retailer James Avery, opening a namesake store on Colorado's Front Range was a return to the area where he first started making jewelry, as well as a chance to show off the clean, simple designs that are his hallmark.

Avery was teaching industrial arts at the University of Colorado, Boulder, more than 50 years ago when he began designing jewelry on the side. Since he mailed out his debut catalog devoted to Christian jewelry in 1957, his Kerrville, Texas-based enterprise has grown to 39 stores in Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma and—as of July—Colorado.

"We have been looking at Denver for over 20 years," says Howell Ridout, vice president of marketing. James Avery had already developed a strong clientele in Colorado. Between its mail order business and a strong Web presence, the retailer set up shop in Littleton with a list of 14,000 Colorado customers.

"We think the clean, simple design work we do resonates with the values of the Colorado lifestyle," Ridout says.

The store was a perfect fit, demographically and architecturally, in Littleton's upscale Park Meadows Shopping Center.

"It's almost as if Park Meadows was designed to receive our store," says Ridout. "By coincidence, we used the same materials in our store prototypes they were already using. It is a perfect match."

James Avery carries the same lines in the new store that it has used to build its business over the past several decades: strong, clean designs that pay subtle homage to Native American and Christian iconography. Avery's mix includes bridal and gift items, and a full range of jewelry—from charms and necklaces, to precious gemstones that retail for several thousand dollars.

"We are offering our full lines, adjusted a bit to emphasize those designs that might be best perceived: bold, strong designs, a sophisticated, rugged look that fits well with the Colorado culture," Ridout says.

The area's culture was high on the list of considerations in opening James Avery's flagship Colorado store, as was the retailer's commitment to becoming a part of the community.

Part of that commitment shone through when the company hired a local public relations agency to promote the new store. The retailer also consulted with fashion editors at regional newspapers and magazines for input on the Western-style merchandise the store would be offering. Plus, ads in 5280 magazine, published for Denver-area residents, gave the store a presence before it even opened.

Both the invitation-only, pre-opening event and the general grand opening held two weeks later reinforced the retailer's name in the market, bringing enthusiastic attendance and healthy sales. All proceeds went to The Children's Hospital, Denver.

"We wanted to connect with the community in a way that would let our customers know we are not there just to set up commerce and sell things," Ridout says. "We are there to be part of the community, and really get involved."