DELIVERING a memorable experience to its customers is the aim of the newly relaunched Michael Jones Jeweller in Northampton town centre.
The shop in Grosvenor Shopping Northampton is welcoming customers after a seven-figure refit. The result is a new experience-led luxury retail space with a VIP consultation room.
“Retail in the 21st century has to be an experience if it is to compete with online sellers,” said Michael Jones Jeweller’s managing director Stuart O’Grady below. “We want our customers to sit down in a lounge area with a glass of champagne while choosing their wedding rings. We want them to select a luxury watch in a room that is suitable for such an occasion. That is something you simply cannot replicate on the internet.”
The store lived up to its billing as a ‘hidden gem’ after one lucky couple landed a £2,300 diamond encased in a specially commissioned ice sculpture to mark the relaunch.
Kelsey Collings and Tom Sumpter from Thrapston walked away with the gem after guessing the time closest to how long it would take for an ice sculpture to melt and reveal a diamond inside.
Their guess of five hours 56 minutes was just four minutes out, with the diamond finally dropping from its frozen perch at five hours 52 minutes.
The ice model was on show at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the revamped store. “The ice sculpture mirrors that experiential ethos behind the new design,” said Mr O’Grady.
Northampton Saints stars were among the first to experience the newly extended town centre jewellers, with Alex Waller, Alex Coles pictured right, Emeka Atuanya and Alex Mitchell attending the VIP launch event.
The first five customers to spend over £100 received a pair of hospitality tickets for a game at Franklin’s Gardens next season. Anyone spending more than £50 was entered into a prize draw to win signed Saints merchandise.
Branch manager Thomas Sinclair said: “When we first embarked on this project, we wanted to create something truly special, underlining our commitment to Northampton town centre and giving our customers an unforgettable retail experience.”
The redesigned store was officially opened by Anne Jones, the wife of the original founder. “I am delighted to see the company remain true to its ethos and support Northampton,” Mrs Jones said “his is a town that has had its fair share of problems but the future is looking bright and I am delighted that Michael Jones Jeweller will play a big part in that success.”
The independent jeweller, which is run as a co-operative, has had a presence in the town for more than 100 years and has extended into the former Burton’s unit in the shopping centre – a store it previously occupied back in the 1970s.
The new store features a number of concessions, with dedicated areas for major watch brands including Longines, Bremont and Tissot.
Jewellery suppliers such as Brown and Newirth, FOPE, Clogau and Ti Sento have fully branded counters alongside existing brands including Gucci, Baume and Mercier, and Raymond Weil.
Mark Mullen, operations manager of Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District, said: “It is good to see such a prominent retailer reaffirming their faith in Northampton’s retail offer and investing in their premises. We are looking forward to seeing the impact this new store has on attracting more shoppers into our town centre ahead of the completion of the Market Square redevelopment.”