H Boutique Named One Of "America's Coolest Stores" By INSTORE Magazine
(PRWEB) July 30, 2013 -- The H Boutique (http://www.hboutique.com), a concierge-style, unique concept jewelry store located in Eugene, Ore.’s luxury hotel the Inn at the 5th, has been named one of “America’s Coolest Stores” by INSTORE magazine.
INSTORE, a national jewelry trade publication covering retail advice, jewelry brands and marketing strategy, recently announced its 11th annual “America’s Coolest Stores” award winners featuring premiere jewelry retailers throughout the country. H Boutique received second place in the “Big Cool” division. The award comes as the H Boutique prepares to celebrate its first anniversary in August.
INSTORE reviewed eighty-nine applications, dividing each submission into one of two categories, Big Cool and Small Cool. The Big Cool category requires stores have at least six full time employees, while Small Cool is for stores with five or fewer. Editors selected ten finalists for each category and a panel of five industry-expert judges chose the top five stores in each division. Judges viewed the entries on a private website and rated stores on a scale of 0 to 100 in six categories: story, exterior appearance, interior appearance, advertising and marketing, online presence and overall individuality.
The H Boutique scored the second highest overall score in the Big Cool category from the judges, who were collectively drawn to the store’s unique services and fresh approach to jewelry retail blended with a rich family history in the industry. Owners Sean and Tobey Ritchie are third generation cousins of the storied Harry Ritchie’s Jewelers, a family-owned retail business started by their grandfather Harry Ritchie in 1956 that now operates 18 stores throughout the Pacific Northwest and Northern California.
"We are honored to be named one of America’s Coolest Stores by INSTORE,” said Tobey Ritchie, co-owner of H Boutique and director of marketing for Harry Ritchie’s Jewelers. “It’s so fulfilling to be recognized for having a unique brand personality that expresses our love for fashion, jewelry and art – and how they can all come together in this shopping experience that is unlike anything else in Eugene, or the jewelry industry itself.”
"Our grandfather was an inspiration for the H Boutique,” said Sean Ritchie, co-owner of H Boutique and president of Harry Ritchie’s Jewelers. “To him, the customer experience was everything and he wanted people to leave the store with a smile. That’s what the H is all about and we think he would have been extremely proud of this award."
Some of the unique services that made the H Boutique standout among this year’s Cool Store nominees include the use of stylists who provide personal shopping and concierge-style services such as the Belle Bar, where guests can fill a try-on tray with merchandise and receive beauty touch-ups before heading back out on the town. H Boutique’s stylists also help plan the store’s special events, including the upcoming annual fall block party featuring acclaimed jewelry aficionado, and president of Carlo Viani, Leonardo Kashi (a.k.a. “DJ Leonardo”). The event, which will also feature signature H Boutique cocktails and a fall fashion trunk show, will take place on Tuesday, September 10 on the 5th Street Public Market promenade – just outside of the H Boutique.
The H Boutique also offers signature services at its Bauble Bar, where it serves petit hot and cold beverages, and the Sparkle Bar, where stylists pamper guests’ beloved jewels with spa-like services. The H Boutique also works with the adjacent Inn at the 5th Hotel to provide in-room delivery and exclusive services for hotel and spa guests.
“The H Boutique is a daring departure for the Ritchie jewelry family, from the integration in a boutique hotel to the mix of merchandise,” said INSTORE’s America’s Coolest Store awards judge Jim Tuttle. “It is all cool and a bit different!”
Added fellow judge David Holingshead: “I love the evolution of the family history with the third generation stepping out with this concept store. It's very smart to take cues from apparel retailing regarding the integration of other aspects of fashion through the use of the Belle Bar and mannequin presentation. Exciting from the street and more exciting once inside. It is sophisticated, current, and playful with tremendous style and a strong dose of humor.
To learn more about what makes the H Boutique one of the coolest stores in America, watch this video. The entire article on H Boutique’s award can be found in the August 2013 print issue of INSTORE magazine and on the magazine’s website.
About the H Boutique
The third generation Ritchie cousins created the H Boutique, a new concept jewelry store where fashion and fine jewelry come together, to provide an experience that is unlike any other in Eugene. H Boutique Jewelry Stylists will introduce some of the hottest brands in fashion, fine jewelry, bridal and watches and inspire guests to explore the world of jewelry while discovering their own unique sense of style. The H provides a concierge-style shopping experience, offering everything from complimentary espresso and champagne to personal styling and spa-like treatments for guests’ jewelry. For more information about the H Boutique, please visit http://www.hboutique.com, “like” us on Facebook, or follow @HBoutiqueOR on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
JulieAnna Giannini, Alliance PR, (503) 724-2100, [email protected]
Share this article