b'THE STATE OF RETAIL DIAMONDSJEWELRYCOLORED DESIGN STONESN&TH E B A N K nickname for her grandmother, G I E R Virginia, while The Banker refers to her grandfather, Jesse. We have pictures of them on the wall, along with some of my grandfathers hats, grand-mothers jewelry, and other OPEN SINCE:December 2018 meaningful items of theirs DESIGNERS:ARK, Azlee, Carolina Bucci, Ileana Makri, Jamie Joseph, throughout the store, says Nov. Gin & The Banker owner Rachael Nov says her Marla Aaron, Renna, Suzanne Kalan You can really feel the influ- grandparents were the inspiration for her jewelry ence of family and of love in thestore, which is why the interior has the quality of a rich, historical home with antique details. space. It feels like home.R achael Nov has worked in retail since she was 15, starting asToday, residents of the Emer-holiday help at The Gap before making her way to Nord- ald City go to Gin & The Banker to get their Marla Aaron, Retrouvai, strom after college, like any Seattleite, she says.and Lizzie Mandler fixes. Nov says the pandemic allowed the store to see She evolved to buying for an independent retailer in Kirkland,which designer partnerships were working, and which were not. Our re-Washington before hitting her stride at Barneys New York. I learnedlationships with our designers and our team grew so much stronger, as we so much and built so many beautiful relationships. I will be foreverworked to support one another and stand by each other. We did a lot of grateful for my years at Barneys, says Nov.Zooms to stay in touch and brainstormed different ways to connect our She took the plunge to open her own store 17 years ago, La Reedesigners work to our customers during such difficult times, she recalls.Boutique, a womens designer clothing and accessories store, still openGin & The Banker was able to reassess its own culture during the today. The store slowly grew its selection of fine jewelry, first launchingpandemic too. with Jamie Joseph and introducing the brand to Seattles east side.We restructured our store hours, so everyone could get home to A year before the pandemic hit, Nov opened her most personalbe with their families at a decent hour, or go to a yoga class, whatev-endeavor yet, fine jewelry store Gin & The Banker, just a few doorser served as self-care. All in all, the last two years our business grew down from La Ree in Bellevue. The name is an ode to Novs grandpar- stronger, and our team and relationships with our customers and ents, whom she calls a significant influence on my life. Gin was adesigners grew stronger. I feel so fortunate.E FI N E JE W E L R Y BT H A R OPEN SINCE:December 2015DESIGNERS:Buddha Mama, Coomi, Graziela, Irit Design, Jorge Adeler, Jude Frances, Lori Barros, Nan Fusco, Pasquale Bruni, Ray Griffiths, Syna, Terra Mea, Tresormost importantly make my customer feel at Owner of The Fine Jewelry Bar Ryan Ryan describes the store as a magical artisan jewelryhome while they shop and add treasures to gallery. At its center is a bar where customers try on jewels.their collections.Family set Ryan on a jewelry path. He credits his grandmother with teaching him to always use my imagination and W hen experts talk vaguely about the importance ofhands; she told me that it would lead to many joys in my life. His moth-making brick-and-mortar retail an experience, look noer and three jewelry-loving sisters were also influences, encouraging further than Palm Desert, Californias The Fine Jewelryhis love of fashion and making jewelry with wire and beads as a child.Bar for a concrete example.This early guidance set the stage for his 35-year jewelry design The center of our store is a bar, explains owner Ryan Ryan,career. Ryan designed fashion jewelry in the 1980s and 1990s that which represents to me the kitchen at my home growing up. Whenwas sold at retailers like Nordstrom, Bullocks Wilshire, I. Magnin, people would come over, we always congregated around the kitchenand Bonwit Teller.everyone just wanted to converse and all be together. Our eventsIn the 2000s, he pivoted to fine jewelry, selling his work to Saks at The Fine Jewelry Bar always involve champagne and food, butFifth Avenue and Bailey Banks & Biddle. Continued on page 6058 STATE OF THE MAJORS 2022'