Brilliant Earth is opening two additional showrooms in Boston, boosting the brand’s presence in the city as well as its nationwide fleet of retail locations, which will number 40 by year’s end.
The company, founded as an e-tailer in 2005, also recently renovated its original Boston store. Opened in 2016, the 38 Newbury St. location was Brilliant Earth’s first showroom outside its home state of California, so the brand considers Boston a cornerstone of its retail expansion.
Both of this year’s new Boston showrooms—at 27 Boylston St., which debuted in September, and 254 B St., slated to open in November—have a “try-on bar,” enhancing Brilliant Earth’s in-person shopping experience.
“The try-on bar is a new addition to our showroom experience that gives an updated way of shopping the breadth of our fine jewelry assortment,” says Pamela Catlett, Brilliant Earth’s chief brand officer. “Our fine jewelry assortment continues to be a meaningful way to establish an ongoing relationship with customers beyond the bridal moment, ultimately expanding our reach.”
She adds: “It’s early days, but customers are drawn to the high-visibility, hands-on experience of the try-on bar, and we’re pleased with their initial feedback.”
The new Boston showrooms are both street-level. The Boylston Street store is located within the Street Chestnut Hill premium shopping center. Brilliant Earth’s other Boston addition, on B Street, will be at the Seaport’s newest shopping destination, the Superette.
“We have been expanding our showroom density in a number of existing metros over the last few years,” says Catlett. “We are seizing an opportunity to continue to test new showroom formats and broaden access to the brand.”
The two new Boston stores feature “welcoming floor plans,” Catlett says, explaining that in its ongoing evolution, the San Francisco-based brand seeks to offer a more personalized and curated appointment experience.
Brilliant Earth’s goal is to make its retail stores—and the try-on bar areas in particular—feel immersive and allow customers to see everything Brilliant Earth has to offer within the showroom setting, she says.
Of the just-opened Chestnut Hill store’s potential, Catlett says:. “Located in a high-foot-traffic outdoor mall, this location presented a great opportunity for us to create a new format to attract and engage shoppers.”
Up next, Brilliant Earth is scheduled to open its first street-level location in New York City this fall, in Nolita—one of the city’s most vibrant retail neighborhoods, says Catlett.
“As a digitally native omnichannel brand, we always take a test-and-learn approach, including in our showroom expansion efforts,” she says. “We have various formats across our fleet, and this try-on experience is another step toward continuously evolving our experience to better serve our customers.”
Top: Brilliant Earth’s recently opened store at the Street Chestnut Hill, its second Boston location, has a try-on bar for customers. (Photos courtesy of Brilliant Earth)
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