It’s Throwback Thursday and today we are talking about the opening of our beloved Paddington Jewel Box.
Can you believe it’s been eleven years since its inception?!
In 2012, the Jewel Box opened in response to an overwhelming number of sales in the fashion and jewelry department in the original Paddington store.
It was co-owner Kelly Hammond’s project, and when the real estate came open for lease, she thought, “This is a really special space.” At that time, before it was the boutique we all know and love today, it was a flower shop! The space had walk-in storage coolers, walls that were lime green and purple, and ceilings that were black.
After a ton of construction and a new coat of paint, the Jewel Box opened and initially only sold jewelry, pajamas, scarves, and other small trinkets. A lesson they quickly learned is that it takes a lot of merchandise to fill up a space… and jewelry is very small!
Kelly had the idea to sell dresses, so they started with dropship dresses that were really fun. She remembers: “Every time I would bring in these silly dresses, people would say, ‘You’re not gonna sell that!’ And then I did.”
After experiencing success with these dresses, she started looking at brands other big retailers were selling. Modcloth and Anthropologie were huge inspirations for Kelly as she shopped in those places for her own clothes.
During the pandemic, the Jewel Box took the biggest hit of the three Paddington stores. At that time, the con of selling occasion-wear was that there were no occasions! She pivoted for a bit and sold athleisure, but is excited to be able to sell beautiful dresses once more.
When asked how she would describe the types of clothing sold at the Jewel Box, Kelly said that the store houses a beautiful mix of well-known national brands and one-of-a-kind artwork brands that could be handmade in Turkey! You’ll find wearable everyday fashion, beautiful occasion-wear, and everything in between at this fun and fashion-forward boutique.
