Ethically sourced bridal jewelry retailer Brilliant Earth is expanding its retail footprint with a new store in downtown Philadelphia.
The showroom-inspired shop, located in iconic Rittenhouse Square at 1701 Walnut St., is the eighth retail store for the San Francisco–based brand. Brilliant Earth currently has stores in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, San Diego, Denver, and Washington, D.C.
The roughly 2,000-square-foot penthouse space in Philadelphia will open in November and—like all Brilliant Earth shops—will be appointment only.
The store will also operate on the retailer’s well-established “inventory-light” model (total stock in each store is super lean), which integrates digital elements into the sales equation, including virtual ring try-ons and other tech-enabled product visualizations.
“Since its inception, Brilliant Earth has been serving customers in the Philadelphia area, and given the increasing interest from customers there, it was a great fit for a next location for a Brilliant Earth showroom,” Beth Gerstein, Brilliant Earth’s cofounder and co-CEO, told JCK. “Philadelphia is a vibrant city that appreciates our commitment to quality, leading design and social responsibility. We are excited to bring even more love to the City of Brotherly Love!”
Gerstein and Eric Grossberg founded Brilliant Earth in 2005 to promote ethical and transparent practices in the jewelry industry. The company’s Beyond Conflict Free diamonds boast ethically and environmentally responsible origins, and its fine jewelry is crafted from primarily recycled precious metals. Brilliant Earth also donates 5% of its net profits to aid and support communities impacted by the jewelry trade.
The retailer has grown steadily—but in a measured way—since its founding and has focused on expanding in established, high-end areas within big cities, such as Rittenhouse Square (another example: its Washington, D.C., shop is in the heart of pricey and historic Georgetown).
Gerstein and Grossberg were newcomers to the industry when they launched Brilliant Earth, but they were pioneers in supporting, selling, and promoting ethically sourced gemstone jewelry.
Since then, consumer demand (and interest) in brands that retail the fruits of ethical and sustainable supply chains has skyrocketed. And transparency, once considered a “trend” by many in the jewelry industry, is fast becoming a prerequisite for jewelry and gemstone sellers.
“It’s clear that today’s consumers are focused now more than ever on understanding where their products come from and how they are produced,” Gerstein recently told JCK.
Top: Brilliant Earth’s Boston store (photo courtesy of Brilliant Earth)
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