b'THE STATE OF RETAIL DIAMONDSJEWELRYCOLORED DESIGN STONESHe made custom pieces for the red carpet, crafting the jewelry ac- that we have one of the most unique collections all in one place.tress Katherine Heigl wore at her appearances for six years. He lent hisThe stores open concept is key to the gallery feel, with customers talents to television and film as well, creating the jewels Lea Michelepicking out the pieces that catch their eye, then going to the bar at wore on Glee, and designing jewelry for Pirates of the Caribbean.the stores nucleus to try them on. Launching The Fine Jewelry Bar marked an entirely new chapterDespite challenges, the pandemic didnt change Ryans values for for Ryan, one in which he could create a magical artisan jewelry gal- The Fine Jewelry Bar. His takeaways from the last couple of years are: lery, he says, curating his favorite designers alongside his own work.Have faith. Be kind, be grateful and be joyful at all times, no matter I take personal pride in curating what we carry at the store, so I feelwhat challenges you face. That will get you through.L E TO N J E W across the country and meeting other designers at trade shows. Upon N D E L relocating to Kansas City in 2014, she noticed the lack of a retail E R scene for jewelry lovers like herself. P Y I was itching to find a jewelry store that carried designers that I loved, but I was coming up a bit short. As I started to become more involved in the community, I noticed people wearing designers that I coveted. I would ask them where they bought their pieces and their answers ranged OPEN SINCE:November 2019 from New York to Dallas to L.A. but never Kansas City. Thats when I DESIGNERS:Almasika, Anne Sportun, Brent Neale, Harwell Godfrey, Jane Taylor, knew there was a space in the market for a designer jewelry store.Marmari, Melissa Spalten Pendleton Jewelrys aim is to be fun and unexpected, less fussy and intimidating than a traditional jewelry store. The layout is designed for comfort and interaction. There are seating areas for N o matter how much planning goes into ones firstrelaxing or planning a custom piece, while jewelry cases are retail store, there will always be surprisesset against the wall, without a counter separating staff along the way. Opening a store at the tailand customers. end of 2019, however, brought a whole newThe designer curation focuses on women-led meaning to that sentiment.brands we are passionate about supporting, Michelle Pendleton, owner of Pendletonlike Brent Neale, Anne Sportun, and Almasika, Jewelry in Kansas City, Kansas, lived thePendleton says. experience firsthand.Whether you purchase or not, we want She counts her ability to be nimbleyou to walk out of our doors feeling heard, adjusting to new modes of selling and deliveringcared for, and seen. luxury via personalized attention on Zoom and video chatas one of her greatest victories as a new retailer. No one could have predicted the trajec-tory of designer jewelry demand throughout the pandemic, but the major theme for us has been to adapt to each clients unique situation and elevate their experience, no matter the budget, she explains. Its safe to say we are obsessed with our clients, and we wanted each and every interaction to speak that loud and clear.Pendletons jewelry journey started in her hometown, Cleveland, Ohio. There, she met designer Heather B. Moore. At the time, she was starting her personalized charm collection and a friend introduced us. There was an undeniable energy around her studio,Michelle Pendleton, and I felt that I needed to be a part of it,pictured above with says Pendleton. her husband, founded Pendleton Jewelry to bring her She worked with Moore, primarily infavorite designer fine jewelrysales, for nearly a decade, visiting storesto Kansas City, Kansas. 60 STATE OF THE MAJORS 2022'