The specs – Our clients have a 2500 square foot space in a two-retailer strip located in front of a successful shopping center.  Parking, access to the store from Line Avenue and visibility from the street are excellent.  Their space has 1500 square feet on the main retail space plus a mezzanine and a lower level space.

Client Challenges – CLARKES JEWELERS tried to buy a bank building that was next to their existing location.  Unfortunately, they were outbid on this purchase and consequently renewed their lease.  A little later, Rolex asked them to upgrade their boutique, and the owners decided that this was an opportunity to rearrange the store, add a Forevermark area with their high end diamonds, change the visual of the store, outside and in, add some much needed features and rethink the mezzanine use.

 

GRID/3 Solution – This is the third time that we have worked with Clarkes Jewelers.  This time we worked with both Ginger Clark and her son Jay Mitchell, 4^th generation, which brought a different way of working to the table.  Because there is trust between us, design ideas were suggested by both designers and clients and agreed upon between us.  The storefront was repainted, and Clarkes had RGB LED strips installed to wash the storefront at night with coloured light and attract customers as they drove past.  Many of the cases that we reconfigured were originally from Ginger’s father’s store, solid walnut which GRID/3 redesigned.  We specified new LED lighting for them and for all the newer casework.  We worked closely with Rolex to create the new shop in shop.  The most difficult area to deal with was the stairs to the mezzanine.  We designed custom millwork for a bar / custom design area and for the Forevermark room.  Ginger and Jay had an idea about using colour changing LED panels alternating with ModularArts panels to replace the existing Rolex wall and we at GRID/3 embraced this idea.  Jay and Ruth worked on the lighting specifications together.  Ruth arranged for Clarkes to purchase the lighting, LED panels and ModularArts panels directly, to save money.

 

Final Word – Clarkes Jewelers’ knowledgeable and experienced staff introduce customers to their hand selected collections of fine jewelry which includes classic, modern, and even funky styles.  The store reflects the merchandise.  The mezzanine was reconfigured and supports the staff with a private office for 1 of them to sell existing customers and for appraisals; with the redesigned lounge as an area for sale items plus a comfy room for customers to hang out and with a private office for discreet sales tucked behind the Rolex boutique.  The lower level has a kitchen, bookkeeper’s office and office.  Upstairs and downstairs were freshly painted while the renovation was on-going